How pervasive will microcontrollers be in future automobiles?
Kuzdas: Microcontrollers are replacing relays, switches, and traditional mechanical functions with higher-reliability components while eliminating the cost and weight of copper wire. Coupling an 8-bit controller with a sensor allows a designer to optimize system-partitioning decisions. Sensors typically provide an analog output that’s difficult to transmit reliably in the noisy automotive environment. The controller-sensor combination enables preprocessing at the sensor location, and reliable transmission of a digital signal to a host controller. An example of this can be found in airbag crash sensors. While accelerometers that provide a digital output are available, they’re typically 20% to 30% more costly than the analog variety. Partitioning the remote sensor module to include the analog-to-digital conversion in an 8-bit controller not only reduces the cost of the accelerometer, but also builds in additional capability. Calibration and offset trim parameters can be stored in nonvola
