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From the automobile's inception to the late 1960s, car engines were manufactured with simple designs and mechanical control parts, such as distributors and ignition timing controls. Emissions were not relevant, as efficiency gave way to horsepower and speed. As the 1970s began, federal mandates regarding a car's emissions were beginning to appear, and the fuel crisis of 1973 to 1974 showed many that larger and more powerful motors were not as important as economy
Most cars of this time period were fueled by carburetors, and very few ran with mechanical fuel injection, so the need for on-board computers evolved slowly. The actual physical requirements for an onboard computer had not been miniaturized to the point where they would fit into automobiles by the mid-1970s; it would take another decade before the microchip would be small enough to become practical.
Fuel Injection
The now complex carburetor gave way to fuel injection, mainly because of the ability of the computer to precisely measure the fuel into the engine. Carburetors had a number of disadvantages, such as vapor lock and altitude mixture problems, that a computer could solve with adjustments to the fuel injection system. As the microchip evolved, it became smaller and more powerful, and advancements in shielding could protect it from heat and moisture. Early automotive computers could be accessed with a standardized port in the dashboard, called OBD, or On-Board Diagnostics. This system utilized several sensors placed throughout the engine to relay problems to the technician, streamlining repairs.
In the beginning of the 21st century, computers become relied up to do much more than monitor and control the engine. With navigation systems, advanced climate controls, communications and entertainment devices, the on-board computer has become the most important part of the car's electrical system
Most automobiles have more computing power than a 1980's desktop computer and can monitor everything from coolant temperature to the ambient temperature of the interior cabin and make automatic adjustments. As vehicle makers improve on the internal-combustion engine, the future of the on-board computer is only just beginning; computers will be required in automobiles, gasoline powered or not, for decades to come.