When was the first computer used in an automobile?

Answer 1

The first computers used in automobiles were engine control computers installed in the early 1980s to meet increasingly tight EPA emission control specifications that could no longer be met with catalytic converters, mechanical control devices, etc. As the engine control task used only a small amount of the actual capacity of these computers, it was not long before car manufacturers began adding additional tasks to the computers.

Answer 2

The first embedded computers in automobiles were introduced on a limited basis in 1980 by GM, by 1981 all GM cars had them. The purpose of such computers was limited to engine control to reduce emissions to meet the tightening pollution regulations.

Current models of automobiles can have over a dozen different embedded computers, each handling specialized tasks.