Trends in VLSI and Its Affect on Powertrain Electronics

Powertrain controls have become increasingly more complex and are under constant scrutiny for cost and size reduction. Diagnostics and serviceability are playing a much more demanding role as automakers compete to be the best in the world-wide market. The increase of new functions also brings with it the need for products to meet the harsh high temperature underhood environment. These factors along with the need for quicker application specific solutions, high reliability and in-vehicle electronic networks is the environment facing the automotive engineer as he plans the powertrain control systems of the 1990's.

The semiconductor industry has played an important role in the past to bring cost effective electronic solutions into the vehicle. This will continue in the future. Several new VLSI technologies and services are now being developed to assist the automotive engineers. These are:

1. 1.
   Higher density CHMOS designs
2. 2.
   Unique very high density memory devices
3. 3.
   Higher performance microprocessors and microcontrollers with specialized I/O
4. 4.
   In-vehicle network communication silicon
5. 5.
   Quick time to market semi-custom application specific integrated circuits
6. 6.
   A multitude of packaging options

This paper focuses on these key VLSI technologies and services and the role they will play in the development of powertrain controls in the 1990's.