Control, Computing and Communications: Technologies for the Twenty-First Century Model T

Abstract

In the early twentieth century, the Model T Ford defined the desirable, affordable automobile, enabled by new technologies in mechanics, materials, and manufacturing. Control, computing, communications, and the underlying software are the technologies that will shape the personal mobility experience of the twenty-first century. While the Model T was self-contained, the external reach of wireless communication technologies will define the boundaries of the twenty-first century automobile, which will be only one component in a large intelligent transportation infrastructure. This paper reviews advances in control for safety, fuel economy and reduction of tailpipe emissions, and new directions in computing, communication and software, including the interaction of the automobile with consumer electronic devices and the intelligent transportation infrastructure