This workshop introduces the need and the state of the art research for applying model-based control techniques to automotive powertrain systems. We first discuss the control-oriented modeling approach for automotive powertrain and after-treatment systems and how these models could be initiated and validated by real time hardware-in-loop simulation. The model-based control development process for powertrain systems will then be discussed and compared with the traditional approaches. Both model based and model-free based approaches will be presented. The application examples of the model-based control of engine mechatronic actuation subsystem and internal combustion engine systems will be discussed in detail.