Automotive Electronics — Summer 2025

Explain the purpose of electronics in automobiles.

Define torque, power and fuel consumption.

Create a diagram illustrating the major inputs and outputs between the engine and controller and explain their connections.

Describe how air-fuel ratio affects engine performance.

Explain the impact of spark timing on engine performance and the method used by the engine control system to control it.

Create a diagram and describe the functioning of an electronic ignition control system.

Illustrate the different strokes involved in the four-stroke spark-ignition (SI) engine cycle, and explain their functions, supported by a suitable diagram.

Define the term solenoid, and explain its application in automotive systems.

Explain the functioning of electro-hydraulic valves and discuss the advantages they offer in automotive systems.

List the various types of sensors used in automobiles. Describe the function of an airflow rate sensor in an engine and explain the principle behind its operation.

Explain the concept of piezoelectric force generators, and discuss the advantages they offer in actuator technology.

Describe the role of airbag sensors in modern vehicles, and explain the principle behind their operation.

Explain the significance of an engine crankshaft angular position sensor, and describe how the engine control system utilizes its data for engine operation.

Define an electronic suspension system compared to traditional suspension systems.

Describe the functioning of an antilock braking system (ABS), and analyze the advantages it offers over traditional braking systems.

Explain the principle of digital cruise control and discuss the potential hardware implementation issues that can arise when designing a digital cruise control system for a vehicle. OR1

Analyze the benefits of digital cruise control systems over traditional cruise control systems, and evaluate the factors that contribute to their increased accuracy and efficiency.

Examine electronic suspension systems for enhanced vehicle handling and ride comfort.

Explain the role of on-board diagnosis (OBD) systems in vehicles, and describe their functioning in detecting and reporting malfunctions in various vehicle systems.

Define alternators in vehicles.

Categorize and differentiate the various types of batteries commonly used in vehicles.

Classify and compare the various types of electrical circuits and wiring used in vehicles, and analyze their design considerations in relation to the loads they are intended to handle.

Compare and contrast the differences between battery-operated electric vehicles and traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.

Enumerate the various communication buses utilized in modern vehicle networks, and analyze the functionality of the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus.

Identify and evaluate the typical problems that can arise in a vehicle's electrical system, and assess the diagnostic and repair procedures employed to address these issues.