Electronic control unit

Electronic control unit

In automotive electronics, an electronic control unit (ECU), also called a control unit, or control module, is an embedded system that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in a vehicle. Some modern cars have up to 80 ECUs, including:
* Engine Control Unit - also known as an ECU
* Transmission Control Unit - TCU
** the above two may be combined, and referred to as a Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
* Airbag control unit - ACU
* Telephone Control Unit - TCU
* Man Machine Interface - MMI
* Door Control unit
* Seat Control Unit
* Climate Control Unit
* speed control unit
* Convenience control unit - CCU

Managing the increasing complexity of ECUs and number of ECUs in a vehicle has become a key challenge for OEMs.

ECU -often called the brain of a car

In some older vehicles, the ECU is referred to as an ECM (electronic control module).


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