Autodesk Vehicle Tracking
Vehicle Tracking is a transportation analysis and design software that enables civil engineers, transportation planners, and architects to simulate vehicle movements and evaluate swept path analysis within Autodesk Civil 3D, AutoCAD, and related design environments.
Swept Path Analysis Made Simple
Vehicle Tracking helps you analyze how different types of vehicles—cars, trucks, buses, aircraft, and light rail—navigate through roadways, intersections, roundabouts, and parking lots. It provides easy-to-use tools to generate vehicle paths, check clearances, and verify design compliance with local standards.
Integrated with Civil 3D and AutoCAD
Seamlessly integrated into AutoCAD-based platforms, Vehicle Tracking allows for real-time feedback within roadway or site layout designs. Designers can adjust curbs, medians, and other features to accommodate realistic vehicle movements—improving safety and reducing costly design changes.
Parking Lot and Roundabout Design
Quickly lay out parking lots, turning areas, and roundabouts using intelligent tools and design rules. Vehicle Tracking accelerates planning and design for both greenfield and retrofit urban projects.
Key Features
- 2D and 3D swept path analysis for multiple vehicle types
- Support for national and international vehicle libraries (AASHTO, UK DfT, etc.)
- Interactive parking area layout tools
- Custom vehicle creation and editing tools
- Integrated roundabout and junction design utilities
- Full integration with AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and AutoCAD Plant 3D
Who Uses Vehicle Tracking?
Autodesk Vehicle Tracking is used by civil engineers, transportation consultants, architects, and urban planners working on infrastructure, site development, and roadway safety projects. It helps validate designs against real-world vehicle movements and regulatory standards to ensure accessible, safe, and efficient layouts.
⚠️ IMPORTANT:
Windows Only: Autodesk Vehicle Tracking is a Windows-only plugin. There is no native macOS version.
Host Software Required: This software cannot run alone. You must have the corresponding version of AutoCAD, Civil 3D, or AutoCAD Architecture installed first (e.g., Vehicle Tracking 2025 requires AutoCAD 2025).
AutoCAD for Mac: Please note that the native "AutoCAD for Mac" does not support this plugin.
🪟 Windows (Vehicle Tracking 2023–2026)
| Operating System (OS) |
2023-2024: Windows 10 (64-bit)<br>2025-2026: Windows 10 (v1809+) or Windows 11
|
Windows 11 (Professional / Enterprise)<br>(Should match the host software recommendations)
|
| Host Software |
AutoCAD / Civil 3D / Architecture<br>(Must match Year Version)
|
Autodesk Civil 3D<br>(Best for 3D ground clearance analysis)
|
| Processor (CPU) |
2.5 GHz – 2.9 GHz (Base)<br>(ARM processors not natively supported)
|
3.0 GHz+ (Base), 4.0 GHz+ (Turbo)<br>(Swept path calculations and animations rely on single-core clock speed)
|
| Memory (RAM) |
8 GB |
16 GB (Standard 2D Analysis)<br>32 GB (If host is Civil 3D with large terrain models)
|
| Disk Space |
20 GB (SSD Recommended)<br>(Includes space for the Host Application)
|
SSD (Solid State Drive)<br>(The plugin is small, but the host software requires fast storage)
|
| Graphics (GPU) |
1 GB VRAM, 29 GB/s Bandwidth<br>DirectX 11 compliant
|
4 GB VRAM, 106 GB/s Bandwidth<br>Support for DirectX 12<br>(Required for smooth playback of vehicle animations)
|
| Display |
1920 x 1080 True Color |
3840 x 2160 (4K)<br>(Recommended Scale: 100% or 125%)
|
| Framework |
.NET Framework 4.8 |
.NET 8 (For 2025/2026 versions) |
🍏 Advice for Mac Users (macOS)
Autodesk Vehicle Tracking does not run natively on macOS.
Because it relies on the Windows COM API and specific .NET frameworks not present in "AutoCAD for Mac," your only solution is virtualization.
| Host Mac |
MacBook Pro / Mac Studio (M1 / M2 / M3 Pro or Max Chip)
|
| Virtualization Software |
Parallels Desktop 18 / 19 / 20 |
| Guest OS |
Windows 11 on ARM |
| Allocated RAM |
16 GB+ assigned to the VM (Your Mac should have 32GB total)
|
| Allocated CPU |
4+ Cores assigned to the VM
|
| Workflow |
You must install the Windows version of AutoCAD or Civil 3D inside Parallels, then install Vehicle Tracking inside that same environment.
|
💡 Performance & Compatibility Advice
Version Matching Rule:
Vehicle Tracking versions are strictly locked to the host version.
Example: You cannot install Vehicle Tracking 2025 on AutoCAD 2024. They must both be the 2025 release.
Civil 3D Advantage:
While it runs on standard AutoCAD, using it inside Civil 3D enables 3D Vertical Clearance Analysis.
The software can read the Civil 3D Surface (terrain) to check if the underside of a low-loader truck or bus will scrape the ground on a steep ramp.
Parking Lot Design:
Vehicle Tracking includes the Parking Layout engine.
This feature is CPU-sensitive. If you are designing a massive parking lot (1000+ stalls) and dynamic updates feel slow, a CPU with High GHz will help more than a better Graphics Card.
