Ultimate Automotive Computer Installation

ErnstKompressor writes "I came across a story detailing an awesome car mod out of the Czech Republic. The author undertook what must be the most impressive exercise in computer integration I have ever seen, installing an extensive Mac system with custom Cocoa software controlling nearly every aspect of a 1993 Tatra 613. On-board systems monitoring, navigation, entertainment, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, plus much more, are all rolled into a tight, extensible, package. Check it out."

Comments

I wonder

[somethinghollow]

I wonder at what point this becomes over-kill. I wonder was it worth all the work (e.g. is it that useful).

On the "bright side", however, I can purchase a Toyota Prius and get a lot of the same functionality without all the work (and with 60+ miles per gallon)... of course, then I can't brag I have a Mac in my car and can't add things to it... but you get the picture.

Re:I wonder

[dyte]

I wonder at what point this becomes over-kill.
When he started thinking about doing it, it became over-kill.

It's a hobby (very cool). Hobbies don't have to be practical or usefull.

Re:I wonder

[sebi]

How much do you think he earns in his country?

Since he is actually working in the Netherlands my guess is quite a bit. I read the article yesterday (it was linked from macslash) and he stated that he got the Tatra because of a lifelong fascination for the maker. Apparently his father was a driver for the leading class during communist years and took his little boy along in a Tatra.

What I really liked about the article that there was no justification for using a Mac. Seems like he is simply a fan who never even considered using anything else. That should set an example for many past and future flamewars on Slashdot.

Re:I wonder

[martingunnarsson]

I think the parent has missed the whole concept of, well, hack-value. If you have a lot of money, you can buy almost anything. But what's that worth compared to actually building the stuff yourself? Kudos to this guy and all the other "hackers" out there.

Re:I wonder

[milkman_matt]

I think the parent has missed the whole concept of, well, hack-value. If you have a lot of money, you can buy almost anything. But what's that worth compared to actually building the stuff yourself? Kudos to this guy and all the other "hackers" out there.

Too true, Yeah, i've got a custom, stock looking TV and DVD in my truck(Please be gentle with my server, also, the DVD player has been upgraded and moved, that part was cheesy :( ) However, a tv/dvd in a car/truck these days is a nickle a dozen, it's standard equipment almost, true mine's custom and I did it myself, so I am kinda proud, but shit, mine didn't require a fraction of the effort or work or knowledge that this guy put in. My tv doesn't show the temperature in various parts of my car, it doesn't show gas consumption, it doesn't do GPS, have a clock, tell me how many more miles I can go on the amount of gas I have, or have trip-o-meters, it's not customizable to that degree.. I hear the new BMWs have pretty advanced computers, but I doubt they can do this... This is an extremely cool hack, it looks totally custom, and it's more powerful than any computer system you can buy as an option as your car. I agree, Kudos to this guy, shit i'm jealous.

-matt

Been done.

[Corvus9]

Lots of techies have decked out their cars with computer-controlled GPS, audio, entertainment, trip planning, and such.

For example, some guy named Wally Rodriguez built a similar Mac-based system.

Re:Clever, but...

[segmond]

Why does it frighten you? Did you even read the article? If you did, can you tell us what is so distracting? Everything there is an article about a car with a tech modification, someone like you is bound to post a lame reply like this just cuz you know that people who didn't read will bound to agree.

Go read the article.
http://apple.slashdot.org/comments.pl?si d=93970&ci d=8066041

I said it before...

[BeProf]

I'll say it again.

Am I the only person left in the world who:

• uses his cell-phone just for talking to people?
• uses his car just to get from A to B?

Re:Fastest Mac on four wheels?

[kfg]

You may smell as you wish, but it's simple history.

http://www.lightauto.com/ledwinka.html

http://www.corvetteconti.com/C5-Backbone.htm

And of course VW, FIAT and even myself have designed and built backbone chassis well before the modern Corvette adopted it.

If you wish to do more in depth research on this you'll have to rely on these things called "books." Not everything is on the web. I can highly recommend "The Bosch Book of the Motor Car: Its Evolution" to the casual reader.

L.J.K. Setright's book "The Designers" also has a lovely little chapter on Ledwinka and his contributions although this title is now a bit scarce.

By the way, the four valve, double overhead cam engine was invented by Ernest Henry for Peugot in 1912. The "unibody" was pioneered by Lancia in the early 1920s, whose chief designer spent an evening drawing up plans for virually every independant suspension system known to man.

In fact the only really serious technical innovation in automotive technology since WWII has been the microprocessor. The rest of it has basically boiled down to the simple availability of better materials. Lancia didn't have the carbon fiber the modern F1 car is made out of, but the construction of the modern F1 is basically the same Lancia's 1922 Lambda.

KFG