ECU advances take many paths

Controllers are evolving rapidly, with a range of microcontrollers distributed throughout the vehicle.

The demand for automated features and functions is prompting electronic engineers to alter their design strategies, distributing intelligence throughout the vehicle. As more electronic controls are added, the mix of 8-, 16-, and 32-bit microcontrollers is also evolving.

Most vehicles today feature a range of electronic control units (ECUs) in applications as diverse as powertrains, instrument clusters, and electrohydraulics. Every successive generation features more ECUs distributed throughout the vehicle, some with fast 32-bit central processing units (CPUs) and others with 8- or 16-bit microcontrollers.