The MAN B&W electronically controlled two-stroke diesel engines have now been in service for nearly 20000 hours with excellent results. A large number of engines are in the process of being produced, encompassing all cylinder diameters, ranging from the S50ME-C to the world's largest, the 12K98ME, with an output of up to 93000 bhp, while the K108ME awaits the upsizing of ships. The paper outlines the experience collected during development, production and operation in service, and describes the impact of the updating process on the mechanical design, on computer hardware, and on the engine control and monitoring software. The flexibility achieved with the MAN B&W method of controlling and monitoring the two-stroke engines provides many new options to be explored and eventually implemented on the engines in relation to their various applications. The paper discusses the results of the authors' evaluations, and outlines the potentials which can be added to existing engines or be integrated into future generations of ME/ME-C engines. Redundancy, availability and reliability are keywords in the development of the ME engines and related systems. The paper presents examples of the development and design philosophy for ensuring that the engines fulfil such requirements to a maximum degree. The development target is the intelligent engine, which requires true electronic control, and the status of intelligence will be dealt with so as to ensure that engine self-monitoring and control will be able to handle any future requirement with a high degree of reliability and efficiency. Electronic control of the engine itself is the key issue, but in order to achieve an optimum solution it is important to include also the auxiliary systems in the electronic monitoring and adjustment modes. The paper outlines the requirement for further development of the auxiliaries to meet the target of the intelligent engine and engine room.