SUMMARY
This presentation introduces the main features of the AUTODYN and ROBOTRAN programmes ‘1’. These programmes, based on d'Alembert Potential Power Principle, allow to derive the equations of motion of mechanical systems which can be represented by a set of rigid bodies interconnected by joints. These results are used for various dynamical analysis such as numerical integration, equilibrium determination, numerical linearization, eigenvalue determination and stability analysis. In particular, they have important applications in the fields of vehicle dynamics and robotics.