WHAT IS IT ?

Did you know that you can boost both the power and fuel economy of your car in about 30 minutes, simply by altering the settings on the engine control unit?

The engine control unit (ECU) is basically a computer that controls how the engine works, a bit like a brain.

But the default settings – or maps – are not necessarily the best they could be, as manufacturers who sell their cars around the world have to take into account different climates, fuel qualities and laws when they program the software.

Car makers are also known deliberately to limit the performance of their cars through the ECU so they can release faster models at a later date, with just a few software changes and a much higher price tag.