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Ultimate Automotive Computer Installation

Posted by pudge on from the i-have-seen-the-future-and-it-is-good dept.

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."

6 of 294 comments (clear)

  1. Ultimate Taxi by stuffduff · · Score: 5, Interesting

    There's a taxi in Aspin Colorado called The Ultimate Taxi. He's been around for years and just keeps getting better.

    --
    "Can there be a Klein bottle that is an efficient and effective beer pitcher?"
  2. Racing Sim by PurdueGraphicsMan · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Now, the first thing I thought of when I heard this was Racing Simulation. If he could find an open field and put in his favorite racing sim he could actually drive his car around and use his steering wheel as the controller. That would be sweet. Of course you'd want to have a stationary mode as well. It'd probably be better than most of the force feedback wheels.

    --


    The guitars sound good, now give me about 10db more on the cow bell.
  3. Cocoa in the "embedded" world? by MurrayTodd · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It sounds like a brilliant idea. I'm almost surprised I'd never thought of that before. I'm always hearing discussion of which OS to use for "embedded" projects (in that I mean things outside the standard ordinary PC computer.)

    Ever since coming out as the basis for the NeXT computer over 15 years ago, the objective-c based NeXTSTEP/OpenSTEP/Cocoa framework has been touted as one of the most amazingly powerful that a person can develop in. In the old NeXT days I remember hearing the [informal] statement that one programmer up to speed with NeXTSTEP could do the work of about 10 normal programmers. I took that with a grain of salt until I started trying to write some simple apps for the first time in OS X's cocoa.

    It is so easy and refreshing in ways I couldn't express with worlds! Writing anything in C++ anymore makes me want to pull my hair out. Sadly, it [objective-c & Cocoa] is still rather obscure. But it would be such a wonderful world if we got to see a renaissance? FINALLY the GNUStep project is beginning to approach a level of usability. If embedded applications started to become a reality...

    Oh, that's about as silly a pipe dream as hoping Howard Dean becomes President!

    --
    Murray Todd Williams
  4. iPod by dimer0 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I don't care about all this stuff.. I just want a real audio deck that you can plug your ipod into. (Sorta like inserting a cartridge, just slam the ipod into the device and have it 'dock' with the stereo)..

    Now THAT is the ultimate car audio solution. Ahh

  5. Linux-based similar setup in Jetta by mikl · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Chris Bergeron did very much the same thing in his VW Jetta. He lives in Georgia, US. He's shown it at several southeast-area cons.

    http://www.dashpc.com/

  6. Re:engine by JirkaJirout · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Yeah, the engine is quite weird, but I really like it and the strange placement (gearbox stretches under the middle rear seat) actually results in very good handling charcteristics of the car. Here are few pictures of T613 engine (not mine)

    http://aek4470.finalnet.cz/pics/jjopr/P1010066.J PG
    http://aek4470.finalnet.cz/pics/oprava/P1010006. JP G
    http://aek4470.finalnet.cz/pics/bylo/P1010025.J PG