Interacting with Onboard Car Computers?

joshmccormack asks: "I've seen lots of projects where people are making great looking computers that fit into the dashboard of their cars that play MP3s, movies and even some that do some GPS and mapping stuff. I'd love to find projects where computers connect with the on board computers in most cars from the mid 90s on to show temperature and performance of various parts of the car. There are diagnostic tools that mechanics use, and that you can get to get data, but I'm particularly interested in real time, in-dash, open source options."

Comments

Do I know what I am talking about?

[XBL]

I think people who develop software/hardware for doing auto stuff have to pay licensing fees and junk like that. And I think that stuff is also limited to dealers for the high-end stuff. GM Goodwrench has priority over Greasemonkey Auto for the good stuff, and that priority probably come with how much $ you have to pay to GM or whoever.

A lot of the auto mechanics shops just have error code readers, with the capability to disable the error codes. That is all they need pretty much.

I also bet that most car computers dont have the output capabilities that you desire. Probably you would have to use a whole custom computer from a 3rd party. Those are probably expensive too.

Specialty shops do this now

[chaotica1974]

A lot of the specifics you are looking for are probably already done by a speciality shop. For example, I love my Camaro Z28, and ls1edit.com has a $500 setup that will tell me everything about the car in real time.


I doubt though that car manufacturers are going to standardize on anything electric except the emmissions part, and that's probably the goverment forcing them to. Geez, take a look at aftermarket radios, If they could standardize on anything it could be that.


Now, if someone *would* build a custom touch screen LCD screen that fit perfectly where my radio and environmental controls are and then made it open enough I could plug a laptop into it (MP3s, Maps, etc..) then I would be one happy camper. Of course, it would have to be skinnable (for my mood) and environmental controls would have to be included in the touch screen LCD. Well hell, just include the lights, wipers, hazards, defogger, yadda yadda ya.


Hmmmm, I should get to work on that now. To the patent office! First comez za money, then comes zee power. Bwooo ha ha ha ha.

Re:Oligopoly

[Smidge204]

Except that would:

1) Probably break the car's computer system, which relies on the proper function of those sensors

2) Require you to understand how each sensor operates (Which I'm sure are equally undocumented)

3) Build your own interface circuitry

4) Do your own calibration and correction

5) Understand what the sensors tell you, and how to deduce the status of the vehicle from them

The onboard computer does all that. All you need to do is ask it what's going on.

At least the hookup is designed for car/computer communications. It would be easier to reverse engineer one access point and protocol than to hack together a complete, seperate system that doesn't break the existing one (which would kill the car). Especially since there is some documentation on it, and equipment that is designed to interface with it is available. (Very expensive though - got any buddies who work in a repair shop?)
=Smidge=

Re:Well sourceforge to the rescue

[xoran99]

Then again, how are you supposed to google it if you don't even know what the freaking thing is called?? That's why human communities are so effective, even though almost everything can be found through google.

Interaction with computers while driving

[merlin_jim]

I tried this sort of thing. EPIA under seat, hooked into the car audio and video system (5" on-dash LCD)... custom harness to interact with the in-car computer. Luckily the busses are serial, so a regular serial port or a hacked hi-speed parallel port can interface...

A couple observations:

1. The interface should not be mouse driven no matter what. You need buttons. Buttons are BETTER than a touch screen in this case.

2. A numpad can be used for interface, but a serial module with built in buttons or some other contraption would be better.

3. Very few commercial programs are suitable to this interface method. Expect to do some heavy lifting in code to pass the girlfriend test. The girlfriend test is the same one I have for MythTV. If she sits down with no instruction, does this gadget improve the experience, or at least not degrade it in any way?

4. Audible interface is nice. You need a music pass through for a regular CD player, on top of whatever lossy compression you're using to store music. Any type of audible, no-eyes-off-the-road notifications are great. A good text reader would be even better but I doubt you could get it to work well enough.

5. Forget speech recognition. It's still just barely good enough to be acceptable in a lab environment. Road noise will completely kill any chance you have of running it in your car.

6. Certain applications should not be used while driving. No, not even stuck in traffic. Ideally, if the car is in drive, they will simply be unavailable. E-mail is a maybe. Video playback is a maybe. Any program requiring more than three or four buttons to operate should be avoided while driving.