Car ECU Adrian Skowron 4#

ECU also known as engine control unit can be easily that it’s the brain of the car. In these days most cars are equipped with ECU which is a type of electronic control unit which decides almost everything which makes your car. The ECU controls horsepower, torque, how much carbon dioxide is being exhausted, how much fuel to pump, idle speed, ignition timing, and even the time in which all the valves open up. It does this by reading values from a multitude of sensors within the engine bay, interpreting the data using multidimensional performance maps. [1]

                                        [FIG2]

Beginning of ECU

The “Kommandograt” created by BMW in 1939 was one of the first attempts to use such a unitized and automated device to manage multiple engine control functions simultaneously. This ECU device helped to replace the 6 controls used to initiate hard acceleration with one control in the 801 series-equipped aircraft. As it was a first attempt in implementing this device of course it didn’t go smoothly as planned, it had some problems. Basically, it would surge the engine, making close formation flying of the Fw 190 (Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Wurger), a single-engine single-seat German fighter aircraft, somewhat difficult, and at first it switched supercharger gears harshly and at random, which could throw the aircraft into an extremely dangerous stall. [2]

Modern ECU

All cars are equipped with ECU now days. Electronic Control Module uses a microprocessor which has a capability to process inputs and outputs coming from the engine sensors, immobilizers, ABS systems and many more. The hardware part of ECU is made of a PCB (printed circuit board) with several of components installed. The main part of the ECU is a micro controller chip on which software is saved. The big advantage is that it can be reprogrammed by upgrading code or physically replacing the chip. In now days ECU are responsible for futures as cruise control, air condition, transmission, entertainment systems, and many more depending on the car manufacturer

Ref [3]

[1] http://www.examiner.com/article/what-is-an-ecu-and-why-every-car-should-have-it-upgraded

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_control_unit

[3] http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a7386/how-it-works-the-computer-inside-your-car/