Webinar Transcript Summary
Sept 2026 | Stéphane Lacrampe (Obeo) | EN
Capella continues to evolve as both a mature MBSE platform and a growing open-source ecosystem. This webinar reviewed the latest developments in Capella itself, recent add-ons, Obeo’s increased commitment to the project, new AI capabilities, and the long-term transition toward a web-based, SysML v2-compatible future.
At the core remains the same foundation: Arcadia provides a structured systems engineering approach, while Capella implements that methodology in a practical modeling environment. Its strength lies not only in graphical modeling, but in helping engineers maintain consistency and traceability from stakeholder needs to architecture and design decisions.
Capella 7.1.0 introduces several important technical improvements.
The platform now runs on Java 21, replacing Java 17, and includes multiple dependency updates to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities. This work supports long-term maintainability and aligns with increasing software security requirements such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act.
Internationalization has also been improved. Capella now provides the technical foundation required to translate the user interface into multiple languages. Siemens has already used this capability to provide a Japanese version of System Modeling Workbench.
Another highly anticipated improvement is the experimental integration of the Eclipse Layout Kernel. It introduces automatic diagram layout algorithms, including horizontal and vertical arrangements, helping reduce the manual effort required to organize large architecture diagrams.
Obeo also announced a stronger commitment to Capella, with more contributors, deeper involvement in project leadership, and a faster release cycle of three to four versions per year. A new calendar-based versioning scheme will begin with the planned 2026.11 release.
Several open-source add-ons have also been enhanced.
The new Capella Simulink Connector, developed by Thales, allows state machines and functional chains to be exported to MATLAB Simulink for simulation. This creates a direct connection between architecture modeling and behavioral analysis.
The System-to-Subsystem Transition add-on has been improved through a Rolls-Royce contribution, making model updates more robust when source parameters change.
Python for Capella now includes a diagram API, allowing engineers to create, copy, and customize diagrams automatically through scripts.
Rolls-Royce has also contributed a new Traceable Property Value Edition capability to support non-functional requirements such as cost, mass, performance, and efficiency using existing Capella property-value concepts.
Commercial solutions are evolving as well. Team for Capella now includes stronger security, improved OpenID Connect support, and major performance improvements on large collaborative models. Publication for Capella has extended traceability to additional ALM platforms and is preparing for more advanced version control, model discussions, and AI-based natural-language querying.
One of the most significant developments is AI for Capella.
Rather than embedding a single AI assistant, the objective is to make Capella compatible with external AI ecosystems through an MCP server. Organizations can connect their preferred AI agent or language model, whether cloud-based or hosted internally.
The demonstrated workflow showed an AI agent analyzing a requirements document, proposing a modeling plan, creating operational, system, and logical architecture elements, establishing traceability, and performing impact analysis. The user remains in control by approving the proposed actions before they are applied to the model.
The biggest long-term evolution is Capella for SysON, an open-source initiative aimed at combining Arcadia, SysML v2, and web-based collaborative modeling.
SysML v2 provides a richer semantic foundation, standardized APIs, and native textual and graphical representations. However, it remains a general-purpose language. Arcadia will continue to provide the engineering methodology that structures how models are created.
Capella for SysON is built on Sirius Web and SysON and introduces Arcadia-specific concepts and diagrams while storing the underlying model natively in SysML v2.
A dedicated bridge is also being developed to transform existing Capella models into SysML v2, providing both interoperability and a progressive migration path.
The goal is not to replace Capella Desktop immediately. Capella Desktop remains the mature platform for operational projects, while Capella for SysON will progressively evolve toward becoming the next generation of Capella.