Microcontroller Uses and Standards in Modern Automobiles

Introduction With the onset of increasingly complex electrical systems, applications, and processing needs, the use of microcontrollers to handle operations has also increased significantly. Microcontroller applications are found in managing various electrical networks ranging from large equipment such as air conditioning units, mainframe computers, and airplane navigation systems, to smaller devices such as cell phones, PDAs, and digital watches. In particular, the presence of microcontrollers in automobiles plays an important role in automotive electronics, as evidenced by the presence of 25 to 35 electronic control units (ECUs) in the typical Ford vehicle. In luxury cars, such as the BMW 7 Series, the number of ECUs can range from 60 to 65 [1]. Microcontrollers manage ECU functions such as braking, steering, power windows and seats, headlights and taillights, and safety-checking to monitor other active microcontrollers. This paper reviews the current technological relationship between microcontrollers and automobiles as well as the standards and physical goals set by companies that manufacture such products.