Archive for 7. February 2009

Oh boy!!! My car has over 20 million lines of code…..

I just bought a car and I was going through the over 700 pages of accompanying manual (in the CD). My car has anywhere between 70 to 100 microprocessor-based electronic control units (ECUs) connected throughout the body of the car.

 

The new Airbus has a little more than 110 ECUs.  This means this car is executing anywhere between ten to twenty million lines of software codes to control every electronics and most of the electro-mechanical devices from brakes to the volume of the CD-changer. It controls even the driver/passenger side airbags to check the pressure of the tires and makes the GPS work.

 

Modern automobiles are complex systems and a far cry from the era when they used to be an assembly of battery, carburetor, alternator/distributer and some electrical systems.

 

The huge arrays of electronic sensors throughout the modern automobile body now have to withstand extreme temperatures and road conditions.

 

With push towards intelligent auto systems, the cars in near future will run 300 to 500 million software codes in 400 to 500 ECUs.

 

The language used is mostly variations of assembly codes in BeeProg+ or ELNEC programmers. Many system integrators are now offering AlgOR (Algorithm On Request) services to auto manufactures and large dealers.

 

March towards the Singularity is ON J !!!!

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