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Home Car Advice Top Automotive Innovations of the Past 100 Years – 1990s: On-board Diagnostics (OBD-II)
With the inclusion of computers in vehicles starting in the 1970s and 1980s, most cars on the road in the 1990s were eventually controlled by an electronic control unit, or ECU.
By this time, some regulators, including the California Air Resources Board (CARB), recognized the potential of on-board diagnostics (OBD) technology and began regulating under a single universal diagnostic standard, OBD-I. This regulation came into effect in California in 1991 for emissions-control purposes.
Afterwards, the OBD-II standard was recommended by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and was required for new passenger cars and light trucks beginning with the 1996 model year — nationwide under EPA regulations and in California under CARB regulations. This ubiquitous 16-pin connector established a universal access port standard, giving drivers unparalleled access to vehicle information, engine codes, diagnostics, and more. The data has many practical applications, including fleet management, remote diagnostics, and even tracking driving characteristics for insurance companies.
It seems like a simple addition, but this common connector can provide useful data for anyone, from a regular car owner to a master mechanic.
Sam Staudt is an Oklahoma City-based automotive senior editor and seasoned content creator with a decade of crafting videos and a passion for anything with four wheels. He has worked alongside automotive giants, including Ken Block, Kevin Hart, Mario Andretti, Richard Petty, TJ Hunt, and Ryan Sheckler. He is an expert in leading creative teams to push the boundaries of artistic style while marrying it with functional information-based storytelling in the automotive space. When he’s not behind the camera or in the editing booth, Sam loves playing basketball and spending time with his wife, Cambry, and their two cats.
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