Design Considerations For an On-Board Computer System

A programmable digital logic system has been developed for vehicle powertrain control. The system is configured around a custom microcomputer, and has been demonstrated in the control of ignition timing and exhaust gas recirculation rate in a vehicle installation. The specific design resulted from considerations of performance, reliability, serviceability, flexibility, and cost. This work at Ford has made further contributions to establishing the feasibility of an On-Board Computer system for vehicle application, but direct cost effectiveness is not yet established, and many problems remain unresolved.