The Intel MCS-96 is a family of microcontrollers (MCU) commonly used in embedded system

Embedded system

An embedded system is a computer system designed for specific control functions within a larger system. often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. By contrast, a general-purpose computer, such as a personal...

s. The family is often referred to as the 8xC196 family, or 80196, the most popular MCU in the family. These MCUs are commonly used in hard disk

Hard disk

A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...

 drives, modem

Modem

A modem is a device that modulates an analog carrier signal to encode digital information, and also demodulates such a carrier signal to decode the transmitted information. The goal is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the original digital data...

s, printers, pattern recognition and motor control

Motor controller

A motor controller is a device or group of devices that serves to govern in some predetermined manner the performance of an electric motor. A motor controller might include a manual or automatic means for starting and stopping the motor, selecting forward or reverse rotation, selecting and...

. In 2007, Intel announced the discontinuance of the entire MCS-96 family of microcontrollers. Intel noted that "There are no direct replacements for these components and a redesign will most likely be necessary."
The MCS-96 family originated as a commercial derivative of the Intel 8061

Intel 8061

The Intel 8061 microcontroller is most notable for its use in the Ford EEC-IV automotive engine control unit. A close relative of the 8096, the Intel 8061 is second-sourced by Toshiba and Motorola .IntroductionThe MCS-96 family originated as a commercial derivative of the Intel 8061, the first...

, the first processor in the Ford EEC-IV engine controller family.