The Embedded & Gadgets

The Car Drived by Wire

By Ron Wilson, Executive Editor EDN Mag. I see from the morning news that Toyota’s adventure into the world of embedded software is going badly. The company’s second attempt to find a quick fix for unintended acceleration in its conventionally powered vehicles is barely under way, and evidence is already emerging that the underlying problem is likely in the engine controller, not in the pedal’s mechanical assembly. Now we hear from Japan that the Prius, Toyota’s golden child, has a...

CAN Kingdom at Automotive

A modern automobile may have as many as 50 Controller-area networks (CAN) for various subsystems. Typically the biggest processor is the engine control unit, which is also referred to as “ECU” in the context of automobiles; others are used for transmission, airbags, antilock braking, cruise control, audio systems, windows, mirror adjustment, etc. Some of these form independent subsystems, but communications among others are essential. A subsystem may need to control actuators or receive...