Your first CAD vehicle

This guided path assumes the add-in is installed and settings are configured. Your first checkpoint is a reviewed CAD inventory; a complete drivable vehicle needs the subsequent joint, frame and verification steps.

Start by tagging your real CAD groups and exporting their inventory. The first checkpoint is a complete, non-overlapping set of physical owners and a review of your suspension hardpoints. Swapping your meshes onto the synthetic vehicle is useful for appearance, but continues to test the synthetic vehicle’s physics.

1. Save the assembly in its intended configuration. In Settings, choose a Build directory on a drive with sufficient free space and leave Save full build report unchecked unless a full recording is needed. Check material assignments in SolidWorks. Keep the assembly’s preparation and project JSON files beside it.
2. In Define Frame, use the current frame selection and check its body list. Save that assignment; wait to prepare/calibrate the final frame until its mounting plan has been reviewed in step 5.
3. Open Components / mounts → Vehicle setup / MVP. For the current vehicle, choose front double wishbone, rear trailing arm, and CVT / rear final drive with geared front output. Choose Start fresh from CAD and save a new project filename to keep an existing appearance trial separately. The new project lists the required groups with empty assignments and a distinct mod identity; no mesh, physical package or hardpoint coordinates are imported. Apply vehicle setup adds any required rows after changing the layout. Use the checklist for this configuration. It requests the frame, engine/CVT/housings, front driveshaft, front arms/uprights/tie rods, rear trailing arms, steering rack, four halfshafts, four spring/damper groups, four wheel groups and panels. Optional brake/accessory/separate CVT-output-shaft groups may be absent when there is no separate CAD group for them.
4. Under Components → CAD assignment, select an unassigned group row, pick its CAD bodies or instances, and use Assign current selection. This saves into that row; repeating the action replaces its selection. Use New tagged group only to add another group, such as a repeated panel or shaft section. It immediately adds and selects a saved empty row. Choose its role and name, then assign CAD. Repeated panel/shaft roles carry over; unique roles such as frame start as an unassigned new component to avoid accidental duplicates. Assign whole components explicitly expands to their owning instances. For the frame, use Use saved frame. Each body has one physical owner; independently moving arms, wheels and panels need separate groups. Name repeated panels individually. For surfaces, use Physical properties to enter thickness and material, or exclude their mass and choose a physical parent. A weightless skin has no independent breakaway.
5. In Build / test, choose Refresh tagged CAD and correct missing roles, duplicate ownership, unresolved references and material errors. Stop here for the first review. The Log gives the project and inventory paths (<assembly>.beamng-project.json and its .inventory.json companion). Keep their referenced export directories available. Review actual pivot centres, wheel axes and dimensions, spring/damper endpoints, mounts, travel and the CVT/differential ratio and reverse arrangement against that inventory. The tested example’s coordinates and ratios are not defaults for your car.
6. In Joints & mounts, choose Authored CAD joints, review native mates and bind every requested hardpoint to your CAD. Follow the joint and fastener workflow, including the moving rack and physical parameters. Check definition reports missing or incompatible inputs. An existing reviewed JSON definition can still use Reviewed template definition and Load template hardpoints. Then prepare the frame afresh, review its hull and fixtures, Calibrate CAD frame, and Package calibrated mod. Preparation includes this definition’s mount plan; changing it later requires fresh calibration.
7. Return to Build / test → Regenerate physics / package. This builds the full vehicle from your CAD properties and reviewed template. Check its receipt and manifest.json. Without a complete authored or imported definition, the component builder is not a complete drivable-vehicle generator.
8. First run settle, supported drivetrain and articulation against that new manifest. Inspect resting wheel orientation, suspension motion and captures before driving. The current UI’s Verify package runs the full 24-test suite; the shorter first pilot uses the command below. After the pilot passes, run Verify package, then use Manage project mod to install the reviewed package. A failed pilot needs diagnosis and a new revision before acceptance.

From the project root, set the paths for your installation and the new build:

$calibrationPython = 'C:\BeamNGCad\venv\Scripts\python.exe'
$game = 'D:\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\BeamNG.drive'
$profile = 'C:\BeamNGCad\harness'
$manifest = 'C:\BeamNGCad\builds\vehicle\manifest.json'
& $calibrationPython tools/test-synthetic-vehicle.py $manifest --scenario settle supported articulation --game $game --profile $profile

Despite its historical filename, this pilot tool consumes the exported-vehicle manifest, not a fixed synthetic frame. Always pass your own game and isolated profile paths as shown. It stops on failure and records pilot-verification.json beside the manifest. Successful reports are compacted by default; failures retain diagnostic evidence.