AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENT INNOVATION - DEVELOPMENT AND DIFFUSION OF ENGINEMANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES

In recent years, automobile manufacturers have successfully met, and i n many cases exceeded, the apparent incompatibilities between governme nt-imposed economy and emissions regulations, and consumer-oriented du rability and performance demands. This paper focuses on the heritage o f engine management systems (EMS) by examining the evolution of the fu el delivery systems of the Honda-MacLaren Formula 1 race cars and the Chevrolet Corvette and Nissan Z/ZX production sports cars. These case studies provide the foundation for a modification to the product life- cycle model, merging the seemingly unrelated technologies of automotiv e fuel and ignition systems and computer microprocessor components. EM S technology includes research and development (R and D), testing, tec hnical assistance and production across an extensive network of genera lists and specialists including automakers, race car constructor organ izations, and parts suppliers. Breaking from the traditional total veh icle development by a single manufacturer, this division of labor resu lts in more rapid incremental innovation of both the components (the p arts) and the automobile (the end product and the sum of the parts). H owever, while the end product may be only incrementally improved, the parts - in this case, EMS - are so distinctly different that a new - n ot an extended product life-cycle begins.