General Motors Computerized Vehicle Control Systems: A Short History

mrrsm

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If You are an Owner of a GM Tech2 Clone Scanner… This is some Very Interesting Information:

Whether you intend on creating your own versions of these Module-To-OBD2 Harnesses as I am developing in a related Thread… and creatively use your own GM Tech2 Clones or not, getting the Best Possible Understanding of HOW most GM Computer Controlled Systems operate; not in any general sense… but on a much deeper level; beneath the skin of the entire system that will improve your understanding of how Automotive Computer Networks function. These ideas might seem quite abstract to the average person who often exclaims, “Why in The Hell Would I Want to Know THAT…. When ALL I Really Want to do… Is FIX MY TRUCK?” But if you own a “GYMKO” Tech2 Scanner… Then You are NOT one of them.

Well… having a solid foundation of understanding HOW and WHY the various systems function and more importantly, understanding HOW and WHY they so often FAIL can sometimes require a much more complete understanding of WHAT we are dealing with. If people could lift the hoods of their vehicles and actually SEE the Flow of Electricity… not at nearly the Speed of Light… but say at the pace of a leisurely walk around and watch it wandering into, out of and in between all of the various components at play inside of these vehicles, practically everybody would be able to see the problems develop, identify the offending components and issues and just reach in and pluck out the Bad Parts and put in Brand New Ones.

Obviously… that would be one Helluva Pipe Dream Come True if the Real World behaved in such a manageable manner and the Physics of Repairing Break Downs were leaning more towards OUR side… than always seeming to me so Damned Distant, Mysterious, Complicated and invariably Expensive Problems to Solve. What follows is a seasoned GM Employee’s College Student White Paper that not only covers the specifics of this topic, but provides very specific data about WHAT, WHY and HOW it came to be that General Motors created their Automotive Computer Systems inside of our vehicles.

Along the way… the Author will also provide anecdotal information on the History and Evolution of the GM thinking behind these systems… and give some very decent explanations as to HOW the PCM, BCM and other Sub-Modules all manage to engage in mutual conversations to keep their Network(s) alive and well inside of these Vehicles. The attached document is a (21) Page PDF that will be a nice addition to Download and add to anyone’s GM Documentation Library on the subjects of OBD1 and OBD2 Information as well as the History behind the development of the Original GM Tech1 Scanners and later on ...the GM Tech2 Versions:

http://tomboynton.com/GMnetworks.pdf
 

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