A controlling interest

Motorola's Scott Anderson provides insight on how electronic controllers are making cars safer, better-performing, and more fun.

People love their cars: the rush of power when pressing the accelerator; the smooth ride on an open road; complete control over music, climate, speed, even the angle of the seat. However, the car is changing. Increasingly, how a car performs, holds the road, takes a corner, or plays your favorite CD is driven by the rapid growth of computing power throughout all automotive systems.

Since introduction of the first car radio in the 1930s, the electronics content of the car has increased phenomenally. In the 1960s, cars switched from generators to all-electronic alternators. Automakers began incorporating electronic engine management systems in the 1970s. The 1990s saw the widespread deployment of airbags and the introduction of telematics communication systems. According to Scott Anderson, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Motorola Transportation & Standard Products Group, these improvements were made possible by advancements in semiconductors, which have reduced part sizes, lowered cost, and increased the power of the electronic components-microcontrollers, microprocessors, sensors, and analog devices- that form the brain of a car's systems. What's more, manufacturers are adding intelligence to cars without driving up the costs.