[dcb]

The nice thing about non-hard coded valve timing/profile (i.e. cam) is that you can make a given engine more efficient under various conditions.

I mean if there were zero benefit, then it wouldn't make sense to get rid of camshafts. But with complete control of the valve timing a lot of other possibilities arise, i.e. Atkinson on demand, easy cylinder deactivation, and improved power to weight when appropriate.

Instead of having to install a high lift lumpy cam that can barely idle, it is a software function when you need power. Instead of installing an RV grind cam for low end torque, or an economy grind for better mpg, those become different "modes" if you will.

I think in retrospect it will be the simpler system. Right now you need crankshaft socket, camshaft socket, specific camshaft, rockers/shims/hydraulic lifters (clever but complicated), and if you want to do anything to adjust the system at runtime you need several extra components to tweak the timing (i.e. vtek) or deactivate cylinders.

Nowadays I consider fuel injection far simpler than carbs for example. What is going on with the injector is quite transparent, you can pull it out and activate it and see if the spray pattern is right, and measure how much it sprays in a given amount of time, with a cup and a stopwatch and a couple jumpers, as well you can measure the voltage from the input sensors and see if they are sane, and it results in a system that provides nearly constant mixture under a wide variety of conditions. With carbs, it is almost a complete mystery what is happening inside, with fudge for low/mid/high speed circuits, and it has to sprout various tubors when they try to make it provide a somewhat constant mixture (and even then it couldn't compete with FI).