Engine control Module |
This week, we feature the buzz word in the Petrol car market, the ECM/ECU standing for Engine Control Module or Engine Control Unit and the various 32, 16 and 8 bits of them. Why is it that maruti raves about its 32 bits and others don't. What is this ECM, why is it there in the first place, how much do we pay for it and why should we at all.
An engine control module is basically the brain of your car. It takes many decision including when your spark plug should fire, or in case of diesel engine; when the injector should inject and how much of fuel to be supplied and so on. So, that bring us to the question stated before, what is this 8, 16 and 32 bits and so on?
Basically, for the computer to make a decision it needs some input. Further to carry the process it needs output. I'm sure we all know that much. In essence, 8 bits mean the total number of inputs and output channels the ECU/ECM has built into it. That brings us to the next question; How many bits should your ECU have?
When the old faithful Maruti 800 got its carburettor replaced with fuel injection, it got an 8 bit ECU, later it got upgraded to a 16 bit and currently runs a 32 bit unit; as is the case with all Marutis. If one were to drive these models, including the carburettor model; you will definitely realise the difference in power, response and undoubtedly economy. The later models are able to react better to driver inputs and is able to make quicker changes that allow for better performance on the road. In performance cars, ECUs play a major role in harnessing power, in econo-miser cars that we buy though; ECUs are basically to there to keep a tab on the exhaust.
The resultant of using these ECUs is that they come packaged with expensive Multiport fuel injection systems, which inject petrol into the air stream via a pump; thus minimising losses and allowing for a more consistent and better metered air-fuel mixture. Further, unlike carburettors, these MPFI units also allow for no unnecessary loss of precious fuel.
ECMs are of many types, some come with on board diagnostics, such as the knock sensor; these are able to constantly monitor the position of the engine, what is going on within the engine, how the engine is responding to driver inputs, the operating conditions and so on to idealise the use of engine resources such as mixture ratio, spark timing and so on. Further, control is also exercised on other modules such as the automatic transmission, hydraulic steering.
ECUs signify the rise of Drive by wire technology, and perhaps with the advent of automatic Cruise control and so on, we may have much less driving to do than we ever though possible; with cars able to manage themselves in ways and means only conceived in sci-fi Hollywood flicks.
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