Renesas Electronics has completed the acquisition of California-based software developer, Pictorus. The aim of the acquisition is for Renesas to gain a cloud‑based behavioural modelling platform that accelerates embedded system development. This is a connected platform for model-based system design that is “moving the engineering experience beyond point tools”, states Renesas. Thus it will enhance the value of Renesas 365, Renesas’ newly released platform that unifies electronics system development from discovery to development and lifecycle management.
Now, engineers will be able to visually design, express and simulate system behaviour and intent, accelerating the application development cycle. Engineers can describe design system behaviour visually by drawing block diagrams in a web browser. Writing code will no longer be necessary as Pictorus automatically converts the diagrams into real, executable embedded software, generated in robust, memory-safe Rust, with C/C++ and Python interoperability. These capabilities make development faster and more efficient, accelerating time to market. As a cloud native platform, it will help to ensure a complete digital thread, enabling digital continuity from system modelling to software implementation to device deployment.
Pictorus was founded by engineers with decades of experience developing vehicle software for demanding environments. It prides itself on the way it started: it grew out of a common frustration that too many fragmented tools and workflows are needed to build production-grade embedded systems. Pictorus makes it easier to design, debug, and deploy reliable embedded software through rapid iteration, memory-safe code generation, and model-based design.
“We started Pictorus because embedded firmware development still asks engineers to bridge too many gaps between hardware, software, simulation, and deployment. Engineers deserve something more modern and cohesive,” said Chris Sullivan, Founder and CEO of Pictorus. “What excites us most about joining Renesas is how strongly that vision aligns with the direction of the Renesas 365 platform. Renesas is uniquely positioned to connect hardware, software, and development workflows at a massive scale, and we’re excited to help build that future together.”
