Automotive software

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Automotive software is a software, (also called firmware or embedded software), driving a microcontroller within automobiles. These microcontrollers are usually specific to automotive applications usually containing integrated bus transceivers interfaces for bus systems like LIN, CAN, MOST, LAN among others. Currently, automobile manufacturers use a software architecture consisting of different electronic control units (ECUs), a gateway and sensors. The gateway is responsible for deciding which information at a certain ECU or sensor should be routed to which other ECU. There are typically 6 different kinds of ECUs:

Body ECU for headlights, brake lights, windscreen wipers, air conditioning, power windows
Comfort ECU for seat and steering position adjustment, seat heating
Powertrain ECU for fuel injection, battery Recharging, engine control, ABS, AMT
Dashboard ECU for speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge, coolant gauge
Entertainment ECU for audio/video Systems
Extended ECU