Customer Reviews:
 Great choice for electrical engineers interested in automotive electronics November 26, 2006
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
Electronics has taken over control of the modern automobile, so much so that it is difficult to tinker with the car as we used to do in the old days, since all of the electronics is contained in embedded systems and diagnostics are usually performed by a PC. All the key functions are, or can be, controlled with electronics which has greatly benefited the driver.
There are 11 chapters and over 450 pages illustrated with diagrams, circuits and performance graphs, but very few photographs of the electronics. The chapters step the reader through fundamentals of combustion, controls, engine and motion control and diagnostics. After each chapter there is a multiple choice quiz relating to the chapter. You will have to read the text in detail to answer the questions, not speed-read. It's an interesting textbook and ideal for education in the topic. I found it to be easy to read and informative. The book shows how the electronics works to improve the safety and performance of the automobile. There is little coverage on the type of componentry, wiring or reliability of different forms of assembly, so the book is only of interest to manufacturing engineers if they want to understand the reasons behind the circuits built into automobiles. Instead there are quite a few block diagrams, equations, snippets of assembly language code, and even explanations of more elementary electronic devices and systems that will probably be most interesting to the electrical engineer who is interested in how electronics controls the modern automobile.
Great Book December 5, 2005
7 out of 12 found this review helpful
You won't be disappointed, from air/fuel/spark to control systems, this is a very well written and informative book.
Excellent treatment of engine controls January 21, 2004
41 out of 43 found this review helpful
The book title, Understanding Automotive Electronics, is an understatement. This book, in chapters 5, 6, and 7, gives one of the best explanations of modern engine control systems I have ever read. Every major concept of OBD-II vehicles is discussed in clear precise language. These chapters alone are worth the price of the book.My favorite feature of the book is the end of chapter questions which can be used to test your understanding of the material. And in the back of the book, you can check your answers. Be careful when buying automotive books. Many are written by good in-shop mechanics who have poor writing skills. This book is different. Mr. Ribbens not only knows his stuff but can communicate it to others as well.
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