My Car, The Supercomputer.

Remember The Jetsons and their transparent, bubble-topped “aerocar”?  Well… no flying cars yet, but, as it turns out, today’s vehicles are a lot more sophisticated than many of us realize.   The average automobile has dozens of computers inside.

Here’s one estimation:

Cars today might have as many as 50 microprocessors on them. Although these microprocessors make it more difficult for you to work on your own car, some of them actually make your car easier to service.Some of the reasons for this increase in the number of microprocessors are:

• The need for sophisticated engine controls to meet emissions and fuel-economy standards
• Advanced diagnostics
• Simplification of the manufacture and design of cars
• Reduction of the amount of wiring in cars
• New safety features
• New comfort and convenience features

The Engine Control Unit is a modern day marvel of processing power.  It monitors emissions, coolant temperatures, fuel economy, spark timing, the fuel injectors and more.  There are lots of examples of ECU programming software.  For example, Performance Electronics, Ltd. makes “ECU Monitor Tuning Software” with some impressive features:

• The ability to tune “On The Fly” which allows changes in engine parameters to be realized immediately after they are typed in.
• Complete control over fueling and ignition events
• 3-D visualization of engine configuration data
• Real time “gauge panel” that monitors sensor as the engine is running

Automobile diagnostics have become extremely sophisticated.   Check out Rev by DevToaster to get an idea of what your iPhone can tell you about your car.  It is the “premier iPhone and iPod touch application for auto enthusiasts”.  Their introductory video is fascinating.

Rev is an application for the iPhone and iPod Touch that monitors, displays, and records real-time vehicle data. By communicating directly with your vehicle’s ECU via its OBD-II port, Rev is the first iPhone and iPod touch application to give you complete access to everything you want to know about your vehicle.

Don’t forget the high technology add-ins for Navigation, Security, Remote door locks, Remote engine start, Entertainment system configurations as well as models that remember “comfort” settings such as mirror, seat and steering wheel positions based on a driver’s particular adjustments.

There is even a Center for Automotive Embedded Systems Security.  Read this article for some surprising automotive security nightmare scenarios: “Car hackers can kill brakes, engine, and more“.

And, according to Ars Technica’s Jon Stokes, even traffic reporting will become more sophisticated:

If today’s traffic is like a bloom of bacteria that responds collectively to changes in the environment, then tomorrow’s networked traffic, where all the cars are linked to the road, to the cloud, and to one another by a wireless nervous system, will be more like a fully formed, adaptive and evolving organism. In addition to the existing network of sensors already embedded in roads and highways, the cars themselves will become collections of sensors enmeshed in a peer-to-peer wireless network, with some master nodes on that network connected to the cloud via 4G.

Another area of growth is in-car communications: digital communication between the various electronic devices that make up a car… as well as the communication path to a driver’s personal electronic devices.  Ford Sync is a leader in the latter space with advanced calling features, ringtone support, uninterrupted calls to/from your car, audible text messages, traffic, directions, 911 support, information assist and more.

If your auto didn’t just roll off the new dealer lot – no worries.  You don’t need a brand new car to benefit from the tidal wave of new computing technology.  Recently in the news, OnStar announced the aftermarket OnStar FMV (For My Vehicle) for Automatic Crash Response, Navigation, Emergency, Security, etc.  with installations available at Best Buy this Fall.

Soon, you won’t even need to keep your eyes on the road.   Autonomous vehicles are coming… (but will they have transparent bubble tops?)

• Autonomous vehicle competition: DARPA Grand Challenge
• Google Lobbies Nevada to Allow Self-Driving Cars

You can read even more about the exciting future of automobiles and computers in these articles:

• Ford, Google Team Up to Make Smarter Cars
• What is the Future of the Automobile?
• The Future of Cars and Infrastructure
• Google Car Project:  TEDx Brussels 2010 – Sebastian Thrun – Rethinking the Automobile 

Who would’ve guessed it?  My car – the supercomputer.