A Brief History of Automotive ECU Evolution
A look back into the journey
Then Bendix Corporation and now Honeywell International Inc
World’s first Engine Control Unit (ECU)
Yes, the world’s first engine control unit (ECU) is often attributed to the Bendix Corporation's Electrojector system, introduced in 1957. This system was used in the 1958 Chrysler 300D and 1958 Chrysler Imperial. The Electrojector system was an early attempt at electronic fuel injection (EFI) and featured an electronic control unit to manage fuel delivery to the engine based on various sensor inputs. The brain of Electrojector system was an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) responsible for processing sensor inputs and controlling fuel injection. While the Electrojector system faced reliability issues and was ultimately discontinued, it laid the groundwork for the development of modern engine control units used in today's automobiles.
The Electrojector patents were then sold to German car component supplier Bosch, who developed the Electrojector into a functioning system, the Bosch D-Jetronic (D stands for “Druk” in German which means pressure), introduced in 1967. D-Jetronic used analogue circuitry, with no microprocessor nor digital logic, the ECU used about 25 transistors to perform all of the processing. It was used in
The system was last used (with a Lucas designed timing mechanism and Lucas labels super-imposed on some components) on the Jaguar V12 engine (XJ12 and XJ-S) from 1975 until 1979.
This pressure controlled analog system was followed by L-Jetronic (L stands for “luft” in German which means “air”) which was an air controlled analog engine control unit. L-Jetronic used custom-designed integrated circuits, resulting in a simpler and more reliable engine control unit (ECU) than the D-Jetronic's.
The birth of Digital Fuel Injection systems came from these L-Jetronic engine control units which was then named as LH-Jetronic which was introduced in California bound 1982 Volvo 240 models. The LH-Jetronic was mostly used by Scandinavian car manufacturers, and by sports and luxury cars produced in small quantities, such as Porsche 928. The most common variants are LH?2.2, which uses an Intel 8049 (MCS-48) microcontroller, and usually a 4 kB?programme memory, and LH?2.4, which uses a Siemens 80535 microcontroller (a variant of Intel's 8051/MCS-51?architecture) and 32?kB programme memory based on the 27C256 chip. The main pain points that these Engine Control Units solved for car users of those days are cold start management, major savings in economic use of fuel by engines, controlled emissions, engine diagnostics, engine idling speed and so on.
In 1978 Cadillac introduced a microprocessor controlled “trip computer” in their Seville model which was powered by a custom Motorola 6802 microcontroller. In the meantime, Ford introduced their Electronic Engine Control systems (EEC-1 & EEC-2) by using Toshiba’s 8-bit microcontrollers (TLCS-12 PMOS microcontroller). The emergence of metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) technology led to the development of modern automotive electronics.?The?MOSFET (MOS field-effect transistor, or MOS transistor), invented by Mohamed M. Atalla and Dawon Kahng at Bell Labs in 1959, led to the development of the power MOSFET by Hitachi in 1969, and the single-chip microprocessor by Federico Faggin, Marcian Hoff, Masatoshi Shima and Stanley Mazor at Intel in 1971.
It was in early and late 80s where power electronics started influencing automotive electronics which led to the advancement in various areas of automotive electronics such as Engine electronics, Transmission electronics, Chassis electronics, Passive safety electronics, Driver assistance electronics, Passenger comfort, Entertainment systems and Electronic integrated cockpit systems that we see in today’s modern-day cars.
1980 to 1990
During the period from 1980 to 1990, the automotive industry saw the continued integration of microcontrollers into vehicles, albeit with less complexity compared to todays advanced systems. Some microcontrollers introduced during this time include:
Intel 8051: While the 8051 was introduced in the late 1970s, it continued to be used in various automotive applications during the 1980s due to its versatility and widespread adoption.
Motorola MC6805: Released in the early 1980s, the MC6805 found applications in automotive control systems, including engine management.
Intel 80186 and 80188: These microprocessors, introduced in the early 1980s, were used in some automotive applications for control and monitoring purposes.
Hitachi H8 Family: The H8 microcontroller family, introduced in the mid-1980s, found use in automotive control systems and other embedded applications.
Zilog Z80: Although primarily known for its use in early personal computers, the Z80 microprocessor was also utilized in certain automotive applications during the 1980s.
It's important to note that during this period, microcontrollers were not as prevalent in automotive systems as they are today. Their usage was often focused on specific functions, such as engine control and basic electronic systems. The level of integration and complexity increased significantly in subsequent decades.
1990 to 2000
During the period from 1990 to 2000, advancements in automotive electronics led to increased integration of microcontrollers for various functions. Here are some examples of automotive microcontrollers introduced during this time:
Motorola MPC5xx Series: Introduced in the mid-1990s, the MPC5xx series from Motorola (later Freescale, now part of NXP) became widely used in automotive applications, particularly in engine control units (ECUs).
Intel 80C196 Family: This family of microcontrollers, introduced in the early 1990s, found applications in automotive control systems, including engine management.
Mitsubishi 16-bit Microcontrollers: Mitsubishi Electric introduced 16-bit microcontrollers during this period, used in automotive applications for control and monitoring functions.
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Microchip PICmicro Microcontrollers: Microchip introduced its PICmicro family of microcontrollers in the early 1990s, and these were employed in various embedded control systems, including automotive applications.
Hitachi SH-2 and SH-3: The SuperH (SH) series of microcontrollers from Hitachi (now part of Renesas) were introduced in the early 1990s and found applications in automotive electronic control units.
STMicroelectronics ST10 Family: The ST10 microcontroller family, introduced in the late 1990s, was designed for automotive applications, including engine control and body electronics.
These microcontrollers contributed to the evolution of automotive electronics, providing increased processing power and capabilities for various systems within vehicles. The trend toward more sophisticated electronic control in automotive applications continued to grow during this period.
2000 to 2010
During the period from 2000 to 2010, advancements in automotive electronics continued to accelerate, with the introduction of more powerful and specialized microcontrollers. Here are some examples of automotive microcontrollers that came into the market during this time:
Freescale (NXP) MPC55xx and MPC56xx Series: Building on the MPC5xx series, these microcontrollers, introduced in the mid-2000s, were designed for automotive powertrain applications, providing enhanced performance and features.
Renesas RH850 Series: Launched in the mid-2000s, the RH850 series of microcontrollers from Renesas is specifically designed for automotive control applications, including powertrain and body control systems.
Infineon TriCore AURIX: Introduced in the late 2000s, the AURIX family continued to evolve, featuring TriCore architecture for improved performance in safety-critical automotive applications.
STMicroelectronics SPC5 Series: The SPC5 microcontroller family, introduced in the late 2000s, targeted automotive applications, offering a range of features for engine management, safety systems, and more.
Microchip dsPIC DSCs: The dsPIC family, introduced in the early 2000s, includes digital signal controllers (DSCs) that found use in automotive applications for tasks such as motor control and power management.
Texas Instruments C2000 Series: The C2000 series, with its real-time control capabilities, was used in automotive applications such as motor control and power electronics during this period.
These microcontrollers played a crucial role in the increasing sophistication of automotive systems, enabling advanced features like electronic stability control, adaptive cruise control, and more efficient engine management. The move towards greater integration and specialization in automotive electronics continued to shape the industry during the 2000s.
2010 to 2020
During the period from 2010 to 2020, the automotive industry witnessed further advancements in microcontroller technology to support increasingly complex and sophisticated electronic systems in vehicles. Here are some examples of automotive microcontrollers that entered the market during this timeframe:
NXP S32K1 and S32K3 Series: Expanding on the S32K series, NXP introduced these microcontrollers in the 2010s, featuring enhanced performance, security, and connectivity for automotive applications.
Infineon AURIX 2nd Generation: Building on the success of the initial AURIX family, the 2nd generation AURIX microcontrollers were introduced to address the growing demands of automotive safety and performance requirements.
Renesas R-Car Series: While primarily known for automotive processors, the R-Car series from Renesas includes microcontrollers designed for in-vehicle infotainment and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
STMicroelectronics SPC58 Series: The SPC58 microcontrollers, introduced in the 2010s, are part of STMicroelectronics' automotive MCU portfolio, addressing various applications, including powertrain, body control, and safety systems.
Texas Instruments TMS570 Series: The TMS570 series continued to evolve during this period, offering microcontrollers with real-time control capabilities for automotive safety-critical applications.
Microchip SAM V7 Series: The SAM V7 series of microcontrollers, introduced in the 2010s, offers high-performance solutions for automotive applications, including motor control and communication interfaces.
These microcontrollers played a vital role in enabling advancements such as autonomous driving, connected cars, and increased safety features. The decade from 2010 to 2020 marked a significant period of innovation and integration of advanced technologies in the automotive industry.
Automotive Microcontrollers Market size was valued at USD 11.56 Billion in 2022 and is projected to reach?USD 21.64 Billion by 2030, growing at a?CAGR of 8.15% from 2023 to 2030. In the upcoming years, it is projected that the prevalence of microcontrollers in automobiles will expand due to the electrification of tier-one and OEM providers.
Presenter of #EnginEEringTheJigsaw; Enabling SDV through continuous architecture
7 个月Great history - one very small correction, the TLCS-12 was based on a 12-bit CPU (as is suggested by the name): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toshiba_TLCS#TLCS-12