Ford Motor Company gets into the chip manufacturing business
In 1982, Ford Motor company created a new subsidiary (Ford Microelectronics Inc.) to oversee research, development, design and manufacturing of their own Semiconductors for use in their production vehicles, and for aerospace applications for their other subsidiary, Ford Aerospace & Communications Corp. (producing satellites / defense products)
Ford Microelectronics was based in Colorado Springs, CO. They initially worked with silicon wafers for design and manufacturing of their custom integrated circuits. But in 1985, they would build a $33M factory to attempt to be one of the first companies to manufacture gallium arsenide semiconductor circuits in high-volume. Competing with Ford Microelectronics for the commercial gallium arsenide semiconductor market were Microwave Semiconductor (Siemens), Tachonics (Grumman), GigaBit Logic, and Vitesse Semiconductor.
Many had predicted that gallium arsenide semiconductors would replace silicon wafers because this promising technology offered faster performance and lower power requirements than silicon. Unfortunately, Ford Microelectronics, and most of their competitors, struggled with the high-costs of manufacturing gallium arsenide wafers, which were two to three times more expensive to produce than silicon wafers. Gallium arsenide wafers also turned out to be much more difficult to manufacturer than silicon wafers, largely due to the material's inherit brittleness. By 1990, GigaBit Logic, and Vitesse Semiconductor were the only companies that hadn't abandoned the gallium arsenide semiconductor market.
The Ford Microelectronics semiconductor manufacturing plant in Colorado Springs would eventually close in 1999. However, their integrated circuit design center would remain at this location. In 2000, Ford would split off it's automotive electronics design and manufacturing operations to Visteon Corporation (VC). (Similar to how Delco automotive electronics was split off from General Motors).
Ford Motor Company would also partner with Intel, Motorola, and Toshiba for supplying them with various Microcontroller and Microprocessor chips for their engine control units through out the 1980s and 90s.
Ford early Automotive Electronics - Thin-Film Hybrid Integrated Circuit (late 1970s)

Item #984
Clear Lucite paperweight from Ford has a Thin Film Hybrid Integrated Circuit embedded inside.
Reads "Ford - Leading the way in vehicle electronics. Vehicle and Engine controls - instrumentation - Entertainment".
Ford Automotive Electronics - Engine Control IV Integrated Circuit chip (1984)

Sold
Clear Lucite paperweight from Ford has a custom 16-bit Intel 8061 microcontroller chip embedded inside that was used in their Electronic Engine Control IV automotive computer.
Reads "The silicon chip, the core of the Electronic Engine Control - IV, has the capacity to make one million decisions per second, a capacity greater than any other such electronic application in an automobile, and greater than the leading comparable single-chip computer in non-automotive use. We think it testifies to the technology typical of the 1984 Mercury Topaz and Ford Tempo."
Ford Mustang PTEC Automotive Powertrain Management Chips (1994)

Item #968 (#1040 similiar)
This Acrylic paperweight, resembling a Ford Mustang, contains the two Motorola PTEC Automotive engine power management chips that were designed and manufactured by Motorola for use in Ford Motor Company automobiles starting in 1994.
Ford replaced the Intel designed EEC IV microcontroller used in their engine management systems since 1983, with the new Motorola based PTEC microcontroller systems.
Ford's PTEC powertrain microcontroller system used two computer chips, a 32-bit RISC based Motorola PowerPC microprocessor chip, and 28K of RAM memory.
Historical Context of Ford's Shift to Motorola PTEC Powertrain Microcontrollers
In the early 1990s, the automotive industry was undergoing a technological revolution driven by advances in electronics and computing. As automakers sought to improve fuel efficiency, emissions controls, engine performance, and overall vehicle reliability, engine control systems became increasingly sophisticated. One of the key innovations in this area was the introduction of more powerful and efficient microcontroller systems, which played a crucial role in managing engine functions like fuel injection, ignition timing, and exhaust gas recirculation.
Ford's EEC System Evolution:
Since the early 1980s, Ford had relied on the Electronic Engine Control (EEC) system, which was based on the EEC IV microcontroller designed by Intel. The EEC IV, introduced in 1983, was a significant step forward in automotive engine management. It was based on an 8-bit microprocessor and used simple feedback loops to optimize engine performance in real-time. However, as emissions standards tightened and the demand for more complex and precise control systems grew, Ford recognized the need for a more powerful solution.
By the early 1990s, Ford began searching for a next-generation engine control system that would offer higher performance, better integration with other vehicle electronics, and the ability to handle more complex tasks, such as variable valve timing, adaptive fuel injection, and advanced emissions control strategies.
Transition to Motorola's PTEC System:
In 1994, Ford replaced the Intel-designed EEC IV with a new powertrain control system based on Motorola’s PTEC (Powertrain Electronics Controller) microcontroller technology. The PTEC system was a cutting-edge solution for automotive engine control, incorporating two key Motorola chips:
- Motorola PowerPC Microprocessor (32-bit RISC): The heart of the PTEC system was a 32-bit Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) microprocessor based on the PowerPC architecture. This chip offered significantly more processing power than the previous 8-bit microcontrollers used in earlier systems like EEC IV. The PowerPC's RISC design enabled faster data processing and better handling of complex tasks, such as fuel mapping and ignition timing adjustments.
- 28K of RAM: The system also included 28 kilobytes (KB) of RAM, which was used to store real-time data for engine control functions. This memory allowed for more sophisticated algorithms and greater data processing capabilities, enabling the engine control system to respond more dynamically to changes in driving conditions and environmental factors.
The Impact of PTEC on Ford's Vehicles:
The transition to the Motorola-based PTEC system marked a significant leap in Ford's engine management technology. It was implemented in a wide range of Ford vehicles, particularly starting with models in 1994 and beyond, including popular lines such as the Ford Mustang, Ford F-150, and the Ford Taurus. The new system allowed Ford to meet increasingly stringent environmental regulations and improve vehicle performance across the board.
Notably, the PTEC system provided enhanced control over the powertrain, enabling Ford to optimize fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and improve the overall driving experience. The switch to the PTEC system was part of a larger industry-wide trend in the 1990s, where automotive manufacturers began adopting more advanced electronics and computing systems in their vehicles, paving the way for innovations like electronic stability control (ESC), advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), and eventually, hybrid and electric vehicle technologies.
Motorola's Role in the Automotive Industry:
Motorola’s involvement in the automotive sector during the 1990s was significant. As a leader in semiconductor manufacturing, Motorola had already established a strong presence in the automotive electronics market, providing a variety of chips for engine control, telecommunications, and infotainment systems. The company’s experience with PowerPC architecture, initially developed in collaboration with Apple, IBM, and Motorola for personal computers, was successfully adapted for automotive applications, further solidifying Motorola’s role as a key player in the development of automotive electronics.
Legacy of the PTEC System:
The Motorola-based PTEC systems were instrumental in the development of modern powertrain control technologies. By moving to a more powerful, flexible microcontroller architecture, Ford set the stage for future advancements in engine management. The PTEC system's introduction also helped to drive the integration of more advanced technologies into the automotive sector, including drive-by-wire throttle control, transmission control units, and advanced engine diagnostics.
Though Motorola would eventually sell its automotive semiconductor division to Freescale Semiconductor (which was later acquired by NXP Semiconductors), the legacy of the PTEC system and Ford's adoption of PowerPC-based controllers left an enduring mark on the automotive industry. These systems set the stage for the even more advanced powertrain management systems used in modern vehicles, which rely on much more powerful processors and sophisticated software algorithms.
The Ford Mustang and the Role of the PTEC Chip:
The Ford Mustang, a legendary American muscle car, was one of the first Ford models to adopt the Motorola PTEC-based engine control system. The Mustang, known for its powerful performance and iconic design, benefited from the enhanced engine management capabilities offered by the PTEC system. This allowed for smoother, more efficient power delivery and helped Ford meet the environmental and performance demands of the mid-1990s market. As such, the Mustang became a symbol not only of American automotive performance but also of the cutting-edge technology that was transforming the industry at the time.