Cummins Inc. and the Automotive Systems Division of the international automotive supplier Continental AG announced that Continental has produced and delivered more than 3 million Electronic Control Modules (ECMs) to Cummins.

This milestone was achieved during the first quarter of 2007 and confirmed during a recent review of the companies' year-to-date operations. Continental is the primary supplier of ECMs to Cummins.
Used to control a variety of engine functions, these electronic modules are instrumental in allowing vehicle manufacturers and industrial users of diesel engines to meet stringent emissions requirements and conserve fuel. ECMs also make it possible for Cummins electronic diagnostic products to read engine data quickly and conveniently.
In the nearly three decades that these ECMs have been fitted to Cummins engines, the functionality of the modules has evolved to become the nerve center of the entire engine. In fact, the microprocessor core contained in the ECM approaches the processing capability of a personal computer. Historically, the primary function of the ECM was to aid the fuel injection process; today the ECM serves multiple purposes such as controlling the entire fuel system, air handling, and aftertreatment functionality as well as recording fault codes.
As the ECM has advanced technologically, it has decreased in physical size and its larger memory capacity has greatly increased processing speeds.