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For decades the Automotive Industry has purchased emission test equipment to meet EPA requirements. Existing systems utilize gas analyzers that provide analog outputs to computers or programmable controllers that, in turn, digitize the signals and communicate them to the cell computer. These systems use complex computer hardware and software systems to collect more than 25 channels of analog signals, convert them to digital, and report them. This architecture is very difficult to maintain and requires excessive effort to modify. The systems do not have any provisions for self-diagnostics or control charting. In 1996 Quantum Controls, Inc. and Chrysler Corporation, Chelsea Proving Grounds began work on the next generation emission test cell. The design goals were: Speed of response to be maximized. The time to digitize the signal and communicate it to the cell computer for all analyzers in a bench must be at least 20Hz with a goal of 30Hz.