In recent years, my country's automotive industry has experienced rapid growth and strong momentum. Consequently, some experts have predicted that the automotive industry could surpass the IT sector to become one of the most important pillar industries of the national economy. In reality, the growth of the automotive industry inevitably encompasses the growth of the IT sectors associated with it. For instance, while electronic products and technologies currently account for only about 10% to 15% of the value of FAW's products, the average figure for foreign vehicles is around 22%; for mid-to-high-end sedans, automotive electronics already exceed 30% of the total value—a proportion that is rising rapidly and is expected to reach 50% in the near future.
Electronic information technology has become a driving force in the development of the next generation of automobiles; improvements in aspects such as powertrain performance, handling, safety, and comfort all depend on the seamless integration of mechanical systems and structures with electronic products and information technology. Experts in automotive engineering note that the evolution of electronic technology has fundamentally transformed the concept of the automobile itself—a key reason for the unprecedented attention the electronics and information industry is currently devoting to automotive electronics. However, it is important to distinguish between certain in-vehicle systems—such as audio and video equipment, communication and navigation systems, and mobile office or network systems, which have undergone relatively little fundamental change—and the broader realm of modern automotive electronics. The latter has entered a new stage of substantial advancement, spanning everything from the electronic components employed (including sensors, actuators, and microcircuits) to the architecture of in-vehicle electronic systems. One of the most representative core components in this evolution is the smart sensor (along with smart actuators and smart transmitters).
Automotive electronics have undergone several stages of development: evolving from monitoring and control circuits built with discrete components to independent, dedicated, semi-automatic, and automatic control systems utilizing microprocessors alongside electronic components. They have now entered a new phase characterized by the use of high-speed buses—with at least five types currently in use—to facilitate unified data exchange among various electronic systems and equipment, thereby enabling integrated, intelligent control. These modern automotive electronic systems consist of multiple Electronic Control Units (ECUs) capable of independent operation while simultaneously coordinating to achieve optimal overall system performance.
To ensure stable and safe driving—specifically regarding wheel control—many passenger cars (including domestically produced models) have adopted Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) systems in addition to utilizing numerous pressure sensors and standard Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS); the combination of ABS and EBD maximizes stability during driving in rain or snow. Furthermore, many vehicles—both domestic and international—now feature Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) systems. In an emergency, EBA automatically monitors the speed and force with which the driver presses the brake pedal to determine if the braking force is sufficient, automatically increasing that force if necessary. EBA must execute these control actions within an extremely short timeframe (on the order of microseconds). This system can reduce the braking distance of a vehicle traveling at 200 km/h by more than 20 meters—a crucial margin. Other wheel-related technologies include systems such as Electronic Traction Control (ETC), which monitors the rotational speed of each wheel relative to the vehicle's speed and balances power distribution accordingly, ensuring optimal, balanced traction across all wheels on adverse road surfaces.
