Computers_in_Cars

COMPUTERS IN CARS Table of Contents 1.Computers in cars of today 2.Computers in cars of tomorrow 3.Computer in car of the future 4.Cons of having this technology 5.Conclusion -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Cars of today rely more and more on computers, compared to the cars of the past. Technology is getting more advanced and the automobile industry has always been trying to use that to their advantage. The whole car is becoming a computer, more and more functions that used to be operated manually are now done electonically.The millions of microprocessors do a great amount of tasks. The engine and parts under the hood power the car, but its the microprocessors that tell it what to do. You would be surprised in exactly how many functions have something to do computers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some of the major microprocessors are the airbag module, the ECU which controls the engine functions, the driver's door module, climate control module, cruise control module, the transmission controller which controls automatic transmission, ABS module controls the anti-lock brakes and mayhandle the traction-control and stability-control systems. Instrument Panal which controls gauges and indicator lights, also the power distribution box module controls relays in the power distribution box. The processor that's the most important is the ECU and it stands for the engine control unit. It controls the engine functions like the spark timing and obtaining the correct fuel and aie mixture to intake into the engine block. It can also manage the emissions and the fuel economy of the car, it does so by creating the perfect ratio of fuel/air mixture. The ECU has a 32-bit, 40MHz processor, which is a lot less then a computer, but then again the car doesn't need all that. Cars today may have as many as 50 microprocessors, many of which make them easier to service. Every engine, every vehicle and every computer system is different -- but all the sensors, all the output devices, must be in perfect "sync" for cars, minivans, trucks and SUVs to run efficiently. Some of the reasons for the increase in the number of microprocessors are: The need for sophisticated engine controls to meet emissions and fuel-economy standards. Advanced engine diagnostics and repair. Reduction of the amount of wiring in cars. New safety features. New comfort and convenience features. New entertainment and communication features. 2. Automobiles also have become electronic entertainment cocoons for everyone but the driver; but now the driver too gets to play passenger, as the latest automotive milestone is ubiquitous automated piloting; that is, cars drive themselves in all but the most exotic or unusual circumstances. Though large metropolitan regions often have highly redundant communications and control networks embedded in their traffic byways to aid individual automobile guidance, and also allow smaller, cheaper, and less autonomous vehicles to form the bulk of their native transport, most autos outside the major city areas are of the more expensive 'standalone' sort, capable of robust independent navigation all on their own, with only occasional help from navigational satellites and/or a network of traffic towers located over most developed countries. Of course, such automated piloting of autos didn't happen overnight, but gradually crept its way into mainstream autos, with such things as embedded 'governors' that simply wouldn't permit excess speed to be used casually or unreasonably frequently under certain weather conditions (wet, icy, fog, etc.) or traffic conditions (tailgating, too frequent high lateral G forces, etc.). Such governors also eventually came to recognize official speed limits in various metropolitan areas and major freeways/interstate highways-- thereby placing similar restrictions on plain old speeding. These governors were 'smart', allowing for some brief spurts of excess speed for normal traffic adjustment needs, but were also programmed to recognize abnormal speeding patterns. Many technologies contributed to the success of these governors, such as sophistocated new sensors, and greater communications between the auto's onboard electronics and the local traffic nets of various cities and major highways. Hybrid electric vehicles are only a stopgap solution to our energy needs. But they likely will be replaced later in the decade by internal combustion engines that will burn only hydrogen. The real wave of the future — hydrogen-powered fuel-cell cars — could hit the market by 2010 or shortly thereafter. The increasing importance of hydrogen is driven not only by its abundance. It is non-polluting (the result of its combustion is water), and it can be produced and stored safely. Hydrogen can be generated from traditional fuels such as oil and natural gas, but also through renewable means such as photovoltaics. It can also be used to produce energy in a variety of ways, from electric batteries to fuel cells. Using innovative technology, OnStar can provide you with the latest information and assistance. Just press the blue OnStar button and you'll be connected to the OnStar Center where trained, knowledgeable, live Advisors are ready to help. Plus, some OnStar vehicles give you the ability to send and receive calls like you would using a wireless phone minus inconvenient dialing.Not everyone likes to admit when they're lost, but then, not everyone has OnStar. Helpful Advisors with current digital maps are a better way to make sure you're headed in the right direction. Upon your request, they'll use a global positioning system to locate your vehicle and give you clear directions to your destination or guidance to nearby hotels, ATMs, etc.If you determine that your vehicle has been stolen, contact an OnStar Advisor. OnStar will help the police determine its whereabouts.Should you or your vehicle not be suitable for driving, an Advisor can call a taxicab* at your request. If no cab is available, we will try to contact a relative or friend. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. General Motor's remarkable concept car, the Hy-wire. GM may never actually sell the Hy-wire to the public, but it is certainly a good illustration of various ways cars might evolve in the near future. The Hy-wire has wheels, seats and windows like a conventional car, but the similarity pretty much ends there. There is no engine under the hood and no steering wheel or pedals inside. The defining characteristic of the Hy-wire (and its conceptual predecessor, the AUTOnomy) is that it doesn't have either of these two things. Instead of an engine, it has a fuel cell stack, which powers an electric motor connected to the wheels. Instead of mechanical and hydraulic linkages, it has a drive by wire system -- a computer actually operates the components that move the wheels, activate the brakes and so on, based on input from an electronic controller. This is the same control system employed in modern fighter jets as well as many commercial planes. go to http://www.gm.com to find more information on the revolutionary Hy-Wire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Looking at some of the comments posted on the discussion boards on the USEnet, I read a couple different arguments. I read about the good and the bad of the idea of computers controlling the car, and its only good if the project is error-free. Also what would happen if cars were built like computers. There was also a discussion what would happen if people bought cars like they buy computers. To learn more go to http://http://groups.google.com/groups'q=computers+in+cars&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. There are cons to having all this technology and computers in these cars. The computer systems in today's luxary cars are wonderful when they work right, but not so wonderful when things go wrong. Electronic shutdowns is something that should be expected when you rely on technology. "When you're adding complexity, you are adding risks", says a BMW executive. Wireless networking of cars, e.g. for navigation and traffic control, will soon allow the hackers to go to work in earnest. Also in-car online access has struggled to gain acceptance because of the high costs of running the systems,intermittent wireless connectivity and safety concerns. Studies also show that drivers have a tendency to take their eyes off the road even with a voice-activated computer. Which brings up one of the huge negative factors of this technology, and that is a safety hazard. Privacy issue is also a factor, where the technology thats trying to protect you by keeping track of where your car is in case its stolen, does have a record of where to travel to on a daily basis. This graph shows the results of a survey, showing that 62% of people surveyed wanted to ban the use of mobile phones in cars, 27% said other things, 6% sayed they wanted to have internet and e-mail access, and 5% said they wanted to be able to download music in their cars. Which is good because there is a large number of people that that worry about safety reasons, and only a small amount that want the extra accessories. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. In conclusion we learned a lot about the existance of computers is vehicles. Computers are very useful in cars, they have numerous functions that help run the car. Making it easier on the driver as well as the automobile. Learning things like that the computer operates the whole car from the amount of engine intake to the window functions. It has made possible to create better cars that are safe,convenient,comfortable,and more efficient. New and hi-tech computerized cars are becoming more innovative and finding new ways to make people's lives easier.