Microprocessor Systems for On-Board Automotive Applications

In examining the alternatives for a cost-effective system design for an on-board automotive microprocessor, standard and specialized architectures must be compared. The architectures are examined as to their ability to perform basic control functions at low cost while retaining the ability for system expansion to handle additional control functions cost-effectively. In all cases, the real-time system requirements must be met despite the computational load on the microprocessor. A philosophy is presented so that the reader can gain an insight into the different possible design approaches.