Powertrain sensors and actuators: driving toward optimized vehicle performance

The past background, present status, and future prospects are examined for powertrain sensors and actuators. It is noted that success in automotive electronics, especially powertrain electronics, will be predicated upon meeting stringent measures of quality, cost effectiveness, and size, while increasing the number of functions processed. As sensors and actuators become more sophisticated, additional powertrain functions will be scrutinized and/or altered. For example, fuel injectors may contain onboard memory to record initial fuel flow characteristics, thus improving the accuracy of fuel delivery and enhancing serviceability. Ford´s Electronic Engine Control IV (EEC-IV) is examined to gain an appreciation of the current state of the art in powertrain sensors and actuators. Consideration is also given to the SCAP (silicon capacitance absolute pressure) sensor. Finally, powertrain sensors/actuators expected to be in use by the year 2000 and beyond are considered