Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Dashboard Linux - 1 Year Later

Posted by michael on from the how-to-raise-your-insurance-rates dept.

bergeron76 writes "It's been just over a year since the DashPC/Dashboard Linux project initially got jump started. Since then, the project has grown by an order of magnitude. The initial codebase has been released on freshmeat and sourceforge, and we're working with several other developers on integrating projects such as Linux GPS Navigation, wardrive mapping, and ODBII automobile interfacing. The potential is endless, considering just a couple of recent news headlines, and how we'd love to eventually bring them to both new and existing automobiles."

10 of 109 comments (clear)

  1. Yay. by The+Turd+Report · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now, not only do I get to try and dodge all the morons with their cell phones and in-dash dvd players. Now, I have to avoid people compiling their kernels on the road. Sheesh.

    --
    Michael Loves Me!
  2. slashdotted by Karamchand · · Score: 4, Informative

    If the server which hosts www.dashpc.com is obviously too slow to handle the load of the typical slashdot effect, why don't you host it at your Sourceforge webspace?

    Just curious :)

    1. Re:slashdotted by All+Names+Have+Been · · Score: 5, Funny

      Slashdotted? You try running your webserver out of the dash of a 1988 Ford Festiva and see how far you get.

  3. Kudos to these folks by The+Tyro · · Score: 5, Insightful

    We've had computers in cars for years... they just were not the kind you typically think about. I think it's great that we are "open-sourcing" what goes on under the hood; I, for one, would love to know exactly what my engine is doing. Further, the potential to make changes (fuel/air mixture, timing, etc) in engine parameters would make such a project useful beyond even the geek factor.

    Also, newer cars have computers in them anyway... OnStar, GPS mapping, etc. Why not have an open alternative that those of us with older cars can implement? You will have to roll your own, but so what? most geeks will probably want to anyway.

    As for watching DVDs while you drive... Well... that problem might just take care of itself (hopefully with minimal collateral damage).

    --
    Even if a man chops off your hand with a sword, you still have two nice, sharp bones to stick in his eyes.
  4. One guy's setup by interiot · · Score: 4, Informative

    Is this just one guy's setup, or is it designed to be compatible across many different setups? There are a lot of different input methods (wireless keyboard, mouse, joystick, twiddler, touch-screen), lots of different output devices (sound only w/ text-to-speech, sound with screen, NTSC TV, true VGA, a non-standard LCD screen), several different ways to control powerup/powerdown (eg. tell the inverter to turn off after finishing powerdown, wake on LAN/802.11b, ability to tell the car to auto-start to recharge the battery). A set of software that supports a variety of these would be truly valuable and I'd gladly contribute, but this looks like it's just one guy's particular setup.

  5. Why stop with ICE/GPS? by Handpaper · · Score: 4, Funny
    Even a 500MHz cpu could do all this and run the ignition/injection system used to operate the engine.

    Just think - downloadable map upgrades, no more hardware 'chipping', and best of all...

    You do not have enough permissions to run engine_init
    Locking all doors...
    Done
    Automated police call activated
    You're nicked sonny...

  6. Picture mirror by SoCalChris · · Score: 4, Informative

    From his site...

    http://www.chrisnaimee.com/pics/pics.html

    Enjoy!

  7. Re: When will the Corporate Dashboard linux come? by interiot · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I doubt that mobile computers will be very standardized, apart from having 2 or 3 computer vendors who produce 2 or 3 different standards for all car manufacturers. Car-computers will be nearly as compact as laptops, but since they'll be so integrated into the car (eg. they may be on the car's CAN network, may talk directly to the ECU, and have varying proprietary interfaces to varying I/O devices embeded into the console) that it will take quite a while to stndardize, if ever.

  8. A conversation by teamhasnoi · · Score: 5, Funny
    "Wow. Your car sure is quiet! What kind of muffler do you have on there? I don't hear anything at all!"

    "I don't have a muffler. I just upgraded, and I couldn't get the sound to compile."

    Don't let friends drive a Bad Ms Win CE!

  9. Another option by SCHecklerX · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I've found that the toshiba libretto (I have a 110CT) fits perfectly right above my gearshift on my mazda protege (after creating a shelf using a couple of pieces of pvc pipe and some scrap plastic for a mount in the cup holder). I use it mostly for mp3, but also use it for maps and as a normal laptop at home with the wireless network (and I can check mail from the car as I pull in...cool :). While in the car it also functions as a wireless network stumbler, using kismet, and when bored in heavy traffic, hey, I can view my pr0n collection ;)

    Since I have a full screen and keyboard, there was no need for any type of special hardware hacks or custom software. I can use xmms as is. It's a really sweet setup and only cost me ~550 ($400 for the libretto on ebay, $100 for the 20 gig drive, $50 for the memory upgrade). Use keymaps in windowmaker to launch stuff and it's a great little setup.