Computer chips are used to inflate the airbag in a crash, tell you that your car is overheating and to draw maps on the displays of global positioning systems (GPS).
The types of computer chips that are commonly found in cars include microprocessors and microcontrollers. In cars, a microprocessor is used to control the data flow and data processing used to manage hundreds of microcontrollers. The microcontrollers are used to measure, calculate and control vehicle variables such as the temperature in the radiator, the air pressure in the tires, the speed of the automobile, the fuel flow rate through the fuel injectors and more. In order to accomplish this, microcontrollers retrieve measurements from hundreds of strategically placed sensors.
Today's buses and trains now let you board with an electronic card. Simply swipe the card across the electronic payment terminal and you can board. Inside the card and inside the terminal are computer chips.
The computer chip inside the card is used to calculate the amount of money left on your card. The computer chips inside the terminal is also used to store information about your bill. This chip will also record where you boarded and where you departed. Some terminals will contain computer chips that will transmit this information over a network to another computer.
Computer chips in both the terminal and the card are also used to verify that your card is valid, calculate your fare and debit your card.
Sailboats, yachts and ocean liners not only have equipment with computer chips in them, but also rely on computer chips in satellites, on buoys and under the sea. Sailors utilize electronic navigation systems that receive weather information from satellites and water conditions from buoys. Under the sea submarines, and unmanned submarines, called gilders, rely on computer chips to keep the cabin pressurized, find their way in complete darkness and measure the speed of ice cold and steaming hot underwater currents.