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Old 10-30-2013, 11:27 PM   #42
arghx7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stugray View Post
I just seems that if you have rev. engineered the code to determine what all the maps mean that you should be able to tell what the ECU does at boot.
What the maps mean and how values are calculated for engine operation are pretty different from some low-level hardware stuff. The controls are handled by the guys tuning the car, and the ECU supplier handles the low level stuff. When it's reverse engineered, often you have a guy who is good at IDA and digging through assembly code who might not be as strong in automotive controls or actual tuning methods.

Reverse engineering for tuning purposes is all about finding which "knobs to turn" to get close enough to a desired final results. Here's a perfect example: Cobb really doesn't know how ignition timing is calculated on the R35 GT-R. They found some maps though that if adjusted, will change the final ignition timing value in the intended direction.

Knowledge of those three things: how the low-level hardware and software work so you can break into the ECU, what the maps generally affect, and what to change to get the desired final result are really all separate. You can know a little bit of each, or be an expert on one or two out of three. On the OEM level, there are entire teams often within separate companies for each of those functions.
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