Computers on wheels – don't be intimidated - Cape Business News

The advent of Artificial Intelligence into the world we live in is furiously gaining momentum, where products like Google Duplex, Amazon Alexa, and others are finding residence in more and more mobility applications. Everyday cars are becoming more and more technologically advanced. But, says Hedley Judd, National Director of the Tyre, Equipment, Parts Association (TEPA), an association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), this should not be intimidating but rather exciting news for motorists. The motor vehicle has an Engine Control Unit (ECU), Body Control Module (BCM), screens of different types, and of course the communication system to the outside world, either via a WIFI-linked hotspot or a Bluetooth link to the cell network. "The ECU and the BCM are both effectively computers with processors and memory that are programmed to function according to set rules depending on the external input from the engine or the vehicle via the driver. The screens referred to are the infotainment screen and nowadays in many vehicles the instrument cluster has become a computer-like screen as well. Finally, the communication language would be understandable to the drivers of today's vehicles."