The Engine Computer Is Likely The Greatest Improvement To Cars Since The Car Was Invented.
Cars have greatly evolved over the years since their beginnings back in the early 1900′s. Many things have evolved surrounding cars as well, such as the roads they drive on, the distance that they travel, and the demands we have put on cars.
One of the biggest evolutions to cars is hardly visible to the average person. The engine computer, otherwise called the ECM (engine computer module) was developed to help improve many things about the way an engine performs.
A side benefit of the desire to improve the emissions of our cars is the increased gas mileage. The gas mileage of our vehicles has continued to improve as engine computers have improved in their performance. While some people do not care as much about the environment, they will never complain about the improved gas mileage.
Another thing that the engine computer helps is the emissions of the vehicle. The computer is able to increase the efficiency of the car based on the conditions that it is driving in. Whether cold or hot, flat or incline, freeway or city streets the engine computer adjusts the flow of fuel and the intake of air to provide the most efficient balance.
The ECM can also alert drivers to potential problems with the engine before they become a problem. The computer, when it discovers a problem, sends a signal to the instrument cluster to turn on the check engine light. A code then is stored that your auto mechanic can recover to know what the problem is and get it fixed.
Another job of the engine control module is to monitor other aspects relating to the engine. The ECM alerts the instrument cluster when there is a problem of something operating out of normal parameters, such as the engine coolant temperature or the oil level. The instrument cluster then will turn on the appropriate light signaling to the driver a potential problem. The ECM also stores a trouble code that a mechanic can retrieve in the diagnosis of the problem so that they can fix it.
The use of ECM?s on vehicles could well be argued to be the most improvement of cars since they began. Unlike some of the other major improvements that we have seen in cars, the engine computer is not highly noticed by the common driver.
Only time will tell what improvements will be made to cars in the future. We perhaps have a glimpse of the next thing in the recently announced Chevy volt, which combines the concept of an electric car with that of gas powered engines. It claims to get 230 miles per gallon in city driving. The car is due out in 2010.
