Electronic Control Unit
ECUs refer to electronic control units incorporated primarily in vehicles. An ECU is comprised of a computer and its peripheral equipment (including a communication module).
A single vehicle incorporates multiple ECUs for different purposes, such as engine control, brake control and safety control. These functions are achieved by the software embedded in the ECUs. The more complicated the vehicle functions have become, the larger the number of ECUs incorporated. In some cases, there are over 100 ECUs mounted in a car. The ECUs are mutually connected via an in-car network.
ECUs make it possible to upgrade the functions or correct failures of a car, even after it is sold, by updating the software embedded in the ECUs.
