Microporcessors a bad idea to use in cars

[nameta9]

I was reading of how many problems car companies are having with the software they put in their luxury cars (most makes, german , japanese).

People can't start their car, etc. and it stays in service for a long time because of software bugs.

 

The microprocessors they introduced to control alot of things in the modern luxury cars IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. Software is still designed like an art, it hasn't acquired all the real engineering precision of mechanics etc. Before putting software in cars, they should design it with top notch precision, and according to a very strict engineering process just like engines are made. This method of designing software must still come of age, therefore they should use a minimum amount of code and wait about 50 years when a real ENGINEERING METHOD of designing software becomes available.

[Silencer]

Or just have someone trained in the car's electronics on hand at the shop.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

The computer in most cars, even non-luxury ones, provides several essential functions. It controls cylinder firings and such with combined input from sensors (like the oxygen sensor) to fire at the right time and reduce emissions. Also anti-lock brakes and traction control need some sort of processor to function.

 

And I don't think you can object to that. They work quite well.

[Newtonian]

The really annoying part is the bills,when something goes wrong it costs an arm and a leg.I payed £35 just to have the initial FF on the computer.Thats without the cost of repair.A huge cost to pay for the luxury of knowing the temp outside the darn car.

[RICHARDBATTY]

Its all down to cost at manufacture. A unit that does all is cheaper to make and install than simple hard wired units for each function. It also means you have to go to the manufacturer for service in a lot of cases.

[nameta9]

I guess the more stringent and fundamental parts of the code are OK. But in general software is way too fickle to be considered an engineering discipline. And the amazing thing is they use the same awkward,arbitrary process and bug filled code to control airlines and spacecraft and every now and then some bug becomes extremely expensive like with the Ariane rocket some years ago, cost more than a billion dollars because they made a mistake I think between a string and a numeric (or something like that). The process of creating software and the methods are still very archaic, I think it will really take decades for it to become really precise.

[herme3]

I was reading of how many problems car companies are having with the software they put in their luxury cars (most makes, german , japanese).

 

If you think every car with a microprocessor is a luxury car, you must drive a lawnmower. Since the 80's cars have used microprocessors to control certain parts of the engine. Now, almost all cars have microprocessors to control anti-lock brakes, power steering, and much more.