THE ROLE OF ELECTRONICS IN AUTOMOTIVE ENGINE CONTROLS

Automotive engine control is one of the fastest growing electronic applications in the industry stimulated by legislative requirements on emissions and fuel economy. All of the systems in use or under development will add cost as compared to historical components used for control of fuel, spark and EGR. As the most complex problem, fuel control offers the best example to suggest some of the directions for cost reductions and the most likely areas where continued development will uncover benefits associated with the more complex but expensive electronic control systems. The availability of low cost, high speed semiconductor electronics and the development of fast response sensors and actuators compatible with feedback control concepts will play an important role in this evolution. The rate of growth for electronic engine control will be limited only by our effectiveness as suppliers in meeting these challenges.