Trends in engine control

Reuse and standards are altering the engineering of software, which represents onethird of the total cost of an electronic control unit.

As software becomes an increasingly critical part of vehicle development, engineering managers throughout the automotive industry are shining the spotlight on development costs and strategies. In engine control systems, reusable C modules and standard operating systems are becoming the norm, though changes are coming slowly.

Software was rarely discussed in the past, but it's become such a key factor in automotive design that it can no longer be overlooked. Software costs today are becoming a significant factor in the cost of a vehicle, and the soaring impact of electronic subsystems means software costs will rise sharply in the next few years.