Install Support Package and Configure Environment

Step 1 of 4 in Customize 3D Scenes for Vehicle Dynamics Simulations

To customize scenes in your installation of the Unreal^® Editor and simulate within these scenes in Simulink^®, you must first install and configure the Vehicle Dynamics Blockset™ Interface for Unreal Engine^® Projects support package.

Note

These installation instructions apply to R2024b. If you are using a previous release, see the documentation for Other Releases.

Verify Software and Hardware Requirements

Before installing the support package, make sure that your environment meets the minimum software and hardware requirements described in Unreal Engine Simulation Environment Requirements and Limitations.

Install Support Package

To install the Vehicle Dynamics Blockset Interface for Unreal Engine Projects support package, follow these steps:

On the MATLAB^® Home tab, in the Environment section, select Add-Ons > Get Add-Ons.
In the Add-On Explorer window, search for the Vehicle Dynamics Blockset Interface for Unreal Engine Projects support package. Click Install.

Note
You must have write permission for the installation folder.

Limitations

Simulink Online™ does not support Vehicle Dynamics Blockset Interface for Unreal Engine Projects.

Configure Environment

The Vehicle Dynamics Blockset Interface for Unreal Engine Projects support package includes these components.

An Unreal project, defined in AutoVrtlEnv.uproject, and its associated files. The project includes editable versions of the prebuilt 3D scenes that you can select from the Scene name parameter of the Simulation 3D Scene Configuration block.
Three plugins, MathWorkSimulation: RoadRunnerMaterials, and MathWorksAutomotiveContent. These plugins establish the connection between MATLAB and the Unreal Editor and are required for co-simulation.

To configure your environment so that you can customize scenes, use copyExampleSim3dProject to copy the support package components to a folder on your local machine. The project and plugin files are copied to separate locations. For example, this code copies the project files to C:\project. The plugin files are copied to the default location, c:\Program Files\Epic Games\UE_5.3\Engine\Plugins\Marketplace\Mathworks.

sim3d.utils.copyExampleSim3dProject("C:\project");

If you do not install Unreal Engine to the default location, specify the PluginDestination argument.

If you want to use a project developed using a prior release of the Vehicle Dynamics Blockset Interface for Unreal Engine Projects support package, you must migrate the project to make it compatible with Unreal Editor 5.3. See Migrate Projects Developed Using Prior Support Packages. Otherwise, you can Customize Scenes Using Simulink and Unreal Editor.

Note

If you want to use the plugins to co-simulate with more than one Unreal project, see Unreal Engine 5.3 Plugins.

Configure Environment on Linux Platforms

To configure your environment so that you can customize scenes on Linux^® platforms:

Install the Unreal Editor in the root directory with this folder structure: /UnrealEngine/UnrealEngine-5.3/UnrealEngine/Engine/...
Use copyExampleSim3dProject to copy the support package components and specify the PluginDestination as /UnrealEngine/UnrealEngine-5.3/UnrealEngine/Engine/Plugins/Marketplace/Mathworks.
Set the Unreal Editor as the default application for .uproject file.
For example, navigate to AutoVrtlEnv.uproject.
- Right-click the AutoVrtlEnv.uproject file, select Open With, and then select Open With Other Application.
- Click Browse and select the Unreal Editor application. In the Open With dialog box, select Use as default for this kind of file.