Electronics in modern vehicles enable us to travel comfortably and safely. We no longer turn a window crank to open a window; instead, we press a button. When accelerating, we don’t have to manually advance the ignition system: the engine computer does it itself. We activate the windshield wipers with a switch, and in the event of an accident, airbags protect us as much as possible from injury. Vehicle emissions are reduced with the help of electrically controlled components, making them more environmentally friendly than in the era of when one drove with a carburetor (gasoline engine) or an in-line pump (diesel engine) and emitted much more harmful exhaust gases. For zero emissions, we will encounter increasingly electrified powertrains in all vehicles on public roads in the coming years. In short, we have been unable to live without electronics for decades.
To gain insight into what electronics entail, the basic concepts such as voltage, current, and resistance, which can be calculated using Ohm’s law, are included under the category “basic electronics.” The components we find in ECU circuit boards and are part of a larger whole can be found on the “components and connections” page. Components like the starter motor, crankshaft position sensor, or stepper motor can be found under other categories.
The ECU (Electronic Control Unit) can be seen as a computer. A modern vehicle is full of computers: having between 10 and 80 computers is not uncommon. These computers obtain analog or digital sensor information and process it to control an actuator. The control principles are outlined in the overview of “ECU and digital electronics.” Additionally, the ECUs communicate with each other via, among others, the popular CAN-bus (overview: communication and networks).