In order to remain competitive, many companies have adopted simulation-driven development processes. Simulation and modeling allows important decisions on functionality, structure, and trade-offs to balance competing objectives, such as reliability and cost, to be made long before a physical prototype is created. As a result, fewer of these prototypes are required, significantly reducing costs, and they can be inserted near the end of the development cycle, more to validate than to develop the design. In addition, models representing a number of design alternatives can be modified, analyzed and evaluated at a fraction of the time and cost.