Electronic Diesel Control (EDC)
Electronic Diesel Control (EDC) is an electronic engine-management system for diesel engines. Bosch presented the first system of this kind for passenger cars
in 1986. Since 1989 it has also been used in commercial vehicles, where it has now become part of today’s standard equipment. EDC combines all control and regulation functions in one electronic engine control unit to which the injection system and a large number of sensors and actuators are connected.
Bosch Electronic Diesel Control ensures ideal diesel injection control at all engine operating points. It evaluates in real time sensor data on the temperatures of coolant, fuel and charge air as well as the momentary engine speed, the position of the accelerator pedal and the intake air mass. From these values the EDC calculates the best possible injection process and the correct amount of fuel to be injected.
Due to divergent requirements, EDC for commercial vehicles offers a broader range of functions than its passenger-car counterpart. It is also used, for example, to restrict the engine speed in order to limit the maximum speed of commercial vehicles. In numerous countries this speed-regulation facility is prescribed by law. The electronic speed throttle can also be expanded into rotation-speed limitation for each individual gear in order to protect engine and transmission.
In addition, EDC permits the manual application of an engine brake to protect the wheel brake from overheating. If there is a data connection to the control unit of the anti-lock braking system (ABS), the engine brake can also be integrated into the braking system in such a way that it is activated automatically.
As a further option, the EDC for commercial vehicles permits the realization of so-called intermediate-speed regulation. Background: when a vehicle is stationary, the engine often drives additional equipment such as a winch, a revolving ladder or hydraulic plant. Intermediate-speed regulation keeps the engine speed constant even when loads vary.
