Individual tuning of all vehicles

A) Vehicle type, transmission version and drive system of the vehicle...

are naturally first of all the crucial factors for the software tuning i.e. there are differences between designs of the individual vehicles, also between identical engines:Heck-, Front- oder Allradantrieb

• Rear wheel, front wheel or all-wheel drive
• Saloon, Coupe, Cabriolet, Estate, Jeep or large saloon
• 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual, Steptronic/Tiptronic or automatic transmissions etc.

B) Engine characteristic

Naturally, differently tuned software also changes the engine characteristic. Therefore, an automobile company is able, with the same engine, with differently tuned software, to produce a diverse range of vehicles associated with its automobile marks. Each vehicle mark and also each vehicle type, therefore, receive its own, somewhat modified engine characteristic, without in each case having to develop an entire engine again.

C) Mechanically identical engines - different performance variants

Thus for example almost all manufacturers currently offer mechanically identical or almost identically constructed engines with different performance variants. The more powerful and usually also more expensive performance variant, which is otherwise mechanically almost identical, often only have amended software in the engine ECU.

D) Deviations within the series and supplier

A manufacturer produces in series, for example, 1000 engines with a rated output of 110 HP. After the final assembly, these engines usually undergo 20 minutes on the engine test stand, in order to check the mechanical functionality and to determine the rated output and the maximum torque. The production of the engines is subject, however, to the so-called series deviation, i.e. due to deviating mechanical tolerances of the individual components (piston, engine mount, cylinder head, etc..) Of these 1000 engines only about 330 will have the desired 110 HP. A further third of these engines will lie between 110 - 120 HP, and the final third will have a lower performance, below 110 HP, in the range of 100 HP - 110 HP. In order to equalize these deviations, the software versions are explicitly adapted by the manufacturer to the engine series i.e. by means of the software of the ECU the individual engines are adapted to the rated output. Also there are differences and stability characteristics of individual components delivered by suppliers to be considered in the software of the ECU. For cost, quality and logistic reasons often different suppliers are used for the same vehicle components.

E) Fuel qualities and emission standards

In principle there are nowadays two different vehicle designs with regard to emissions and fuel quality. For us, however, only the so-called EC standard for all European vehicles is interesting. US vehicles usually run only outside of Europe. Just by changing to 98 octane (super plus) fuel most Otto-motors have a noticeable improvement in “revability” and agility. Some manufacturers already recommend, particularly with higher performance engines (e.g. M3, M5, Porsche 996, E55 - CL55, etc..), refuelling with 98 octane fuel. Although most vehicles are only adjusted for 95 octane (super lead free) fuel. Therefore, most standard series vehicles cannot take advantage of 98 octane fuel. A good example of this is, the same vehicles are delivered in Italy as in Germany with identical performance data. However, in Italy 98 octane (super plus) fuel is not available. Italy has only 95 octane (euro super) available. If however the necessary fuel for the rated output is not available in the whole country, the vehicle would have to be delivered with a lower performance, nevertheless, in Italy this is not done. There is a similar situation with all turbo-Diesel engines regarding the sulphur content and the cetane number of the available Diesel fuel…