Unique Program Celebrates Automotive Design While Benefiting Visually Impaired

Auburn Hills, Mich., January 13, 2009 ─ Dassault Systèmes (DS) (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), announced that it is a sponsor of the fourth annual EyesOn Design Awards competition to be held prior to the public opening of the 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) on Tuesday, January 13, 2008.

EyesOn Design is a Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology (DIO) fundraising event, which honors and recognizes the most significant new automotive designs on display at the Auto Show. Unique among automotive design awards, the EyesOn Design Awards are the only automotive design awards to be judged solely by designers themselves, as well as the only awards presented to both production and concept vehicles being introduced at the Auto Show.

Anne Asensio, vice president of Design Experience at Dassault Systèmes and head of the company’s new Design Studio, sees the EyesOn Design event as a perfect participation venue for DS. “The number of vehicles being designed with Dassault Systèmes’ software continues to grow each year, with almost 75% of the vehicles launched at last year’s North American International Auto Show created in CATIA.”

New vehicles inclusive of cars and trucks are judged in two categories: Production Vehicle and Best Concept Vehicle. Awards for the winning vehicles in the Production vehicle category will be presented by Asensio, who, prior to joining Dassault Systèmes, spent many years as head of design at both General Motors and Renault.

“As the industry becomes increasingly competitive, it is crucial that we provide designers with tools that enable them to be more creative and develop innovative solutions to meet today’s challenges,” commented Asensio. “Today, there is simply no room for product development missteps. Leading design and collaborative software platforms, such as those offered by Dassault Systèmes allow companies to create appealing products at the right price and delivery schedule.”

Dassault Systèmes’ newest V6 platform re-defines the meaning of collaboration by reaching beyond the extended enterprise and supply base to actually involve consumers in the vehicle development process. This next step in collaboration will make sure that automakers are designing the vehicles that consumers want to buy.

The EyesOn Design Award at the NAIAS is an extension of the celebration of automotive design that occurs each June when the DIO hosts the annual EyesOn Design car show, which honors the past, present and future of automotive design. In addition to being recognized as major design achievement awards in the automotive design community, both EyesOn Design events raise funds to provide educational programs and to support leading-edge research and other programs to enhance the lives of the blind and visually impaired. More than 6,000 people directly benefit from these programs each year.

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About Dassault Systèmes
As a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, Dassault Systèmes brings value to more than 100,000 customers in 80 countries. A pioneer in the 3D software market since 1981, Dassault Systèmes develops and markets PLM application software and services that support industrial processes and provide a 3D vision of the entire lifecycle of products from conception to maintenance to recycling. The Dassault Systèmes portfolio consists of CATIA for designing the virtual product - SolidWorks for 3D mechanical design - DELMIA for virtual production - SIMULIA for virtual testing - ENOVIA for global collaborative lifecycle management, and 3DVIA for online 3D lifelike experiences. Dassault Systèmes’ shares are listed on Euronext Paris (#13065, DSY.PA) and Dassault Systèmes’ ADRs may be traded on the US Over-The-Counter (OTC) market (DASTY). For more information, visit http://www.3ds.com.

CATIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, SIMULIA, SolidWorks and 3D VIA are registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries.

Dassault Systèmes Press Contacts
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