Opportunities in automotive powertrain control applications

The automotive industry faces substantial challenges to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. New powertrain technologies use lean combustion, controlled aftertreatment and increasingly complex designs to wring-out additional efficiency from "conventional" reciprocating engines while actively managing the conversion of exhaust emissions. Model-based controls and systems engineering practice are the keys to achieving the benefits of these advanced combustion engine systems. This paper illustrates control applications for an advanced technology engine, and describes an engineering process that integrates model-based control design and strategy implementation in order to manage system and software complexity in an automotive environment. In lieu of conclusions, a few opportunities for research are highlighted that address some of today's challenges in automotive powertrain control.