This is the second in a three part series. I hope you enjoy it.

As the end of the 20th century neared, the automotive industry was in a period of rapid change. In 1996, and new standard for diagnostic information was enacted and called OBD2 (On Board Diagnostics). This ensured that certain information from the vehicle's computer system was universal and able to be accessed by anyone with the proper tool. A single connector is now used on all vehicles sold in the US, whereas before 1996 every manufacturer had it's own individual connector and made it increasingly difficult for the independent repair shop to stay up to date.

More sophisticated ignition and fuel injection systems were being introduced, along with computer controls taking over more and more of the vehicles' operations. Transmission, anti lock brakes, airbags, traction controls and more were coming under the control of an on-board computer network called a “CAN” (Controlled Area Network) which operates similarly to the home computer network in your house. Several modules now “talk” to each other on a network and share information. For example, a sensor that measures a vehicle's speed will provide that information to the various modules for the engine, transmission, cruise control and speedometer.

Satellite communications came into play and gave us OnStar – General Motors' service that recognizes if you have been in an accident and notifies police or will send a signal to unlock your door if your key is locked inside. Another, less known feature is to let you know that you need to have your “check engine” light (now officially called the MIL – malfunction indicator light) diagnosed and if you do not, they have the ability to disable your car or truck. This is also what they do in case of theft – send a signal to the car via satellite to shut the car off.

This was also the era of more mergers in the automotive industry. General Motors now owned Saab, Ford owned Jaguar and Chrysler had merged with Daimler (Mercedes Benz). Overseas manufacturers also saw the opportunity to avoid high import tariffs by building factories in the south and employing non-union workers for a much lower wage than Detroit had enjoyed for many years. The decline of Detroit had started years before and depressed economies in the south were enjoying lower unemployment numbers.

As the 21st century rolled in (and we all survived the Y2K bug!), so did the renewed push for stricter emissions and fuel economy. More R&D money was required to engineer more and more efficient powertrains and we saw the first mass-produced hybrid vehicles – cars that run primarily on battery powered electric motors, but also have a traditional gasoline engine as well. We also saw a renewed interest in the muscle car and powerful sports cars. The advanced engineering gave auto makers the ability to get more power from smaller, more efficient engines and styling came back into fashion.

The Mustang and the Thunderbird had already been re-introduced, The Plymouth Prowler and PT Cruiser along with a new Charger and Challenger gave us a new look and a re-styled Corvette and new Camaro rounded out the “new” muscle car offerings. Foreign manufactures also had a roll-call of models boasting 300+ horsepower and the diesel engines were making a comeback with new designs and the availability of “bio-fuel”.

So, here we are now in 2011 and we have (hopefully) seen the bottom of an economic downturn that had GM and Chrysler bankrupt and witnessing the loss of brands like Pontiac (a personal heartbreak), Saturn and Plymouth. There are offerings from hybrids to electric-only cars, like the Chevy Volt (which will be out soon). Nissan has the Leaf (battery powered), Tesla has got an infusion of cash and a factory in California from Toyota and backyard engineers are using solar, wind and homebrewed bio-fuel to power the new generation of transportation. Emissions standards and economy regulations continue to require more advanced computer controls. Virtually every item in a new vehicle is operated by an electronic module now. Safety systems nearly take control of the vehicle if a crash is imminent and you can synch your MP3 player to your car's stereo.

The sophistication of today's cars are incredible, and they are no longer mere transportation. The driving experience is as much of a consideration today as the visual aesthetics and are marked with features only dreamed about just a couple of decades ago. The technicians who repair today's vehicles are required to have continuing education just to stay current and specialized electronic testing tools can easily cost thousands of dollars each. Often times, a pesky driveablity problem is fixed not with a wrench or screwdriver, but with a software update! Some engines are designed to cut out several cylinders while you are coasting to save fuel and more vehicles are “drive by wire” - where there is no physical connection between your accelerator pedal and the throttle anymore and, instead, sensors on the pedal “tell” the computer where the throttle should be. The computer then sends a signal to the throttle module to use a motor to open the throttle a certain amount and another sensor insures that it happens (Seems so much easier than “step on the gas”, doesn't it? Sorry, my sarcasm is showing ).

With people keeping cars longer these days, maintenance will be the primary focus for drivers to think about. Very specific service intervals, new generations of lubricants and all of the current and future fuel choices combined with the sophistication of engine management systems will make it very important for consumers to have regular service and to not ignore the maintenance lights or warning lights on the dash.

My next installment will be a look at the future and what we may be seeing on our roads sooner than you may think!
Drive Safe!

Todd Ainsworth is one of the owners of West Seattle Autoworks and can be reached at todd400@comcast.net or 206.257.5344.