Abstract
Electronic control technology is indispensable to automobiles today in order to meet higher requirements not only for conservation of natural resources and preservation of the global environment, but also for improved driving ease and enhanced safety. An electronic control system was first applied to gasoline engines in Japan in 1978 to comply with stricter exhaust emission regulations. This paper reviews the progress of electronic control technology since then and outlines its present status and future direction. It also describes the design and verification test environment for complicated control systems.