Engine control unit

[3][4] One of the earliest attempts to use such a unitized and automated device to manage multiple engine control functions simultaneously was the created by BMW in 1939 Kommandogerät system used by the BMW 801 14-cylinder radial engine which powered the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 V5 fighter aircraft.

[citation needed] In the early 1970s, the Japanese electronics industry began producing integrated circuits and microcontrollers used for controlling engines.

[6] The Ford EEC (Electronic Engine Control) system, which utilized the Toshiba TLCS-12 microprocessor, went into mass production in 1975.

This kind of electronic control is less common in piston-engined light fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters than in automobiles.

This is due to the common configuration of a carbureted engine with a magneto ignition system that does not require electrical power generated by an alternator to run, which is considered a safety advantage.