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Ford and Bug Labs Shipping OpenXC Beta Kits

Posted by Soulskill on from the hack-my-ride dept.

MojoKid writes "OpenXC is an open source connectivity platform developed in tandem by Ford and open source hardware maker Bug Labs. Announced this fall, the platform is designed to allow developers the ability to use Android- and Arduino-based modules to interact with a vehicle's in-car tech, such as vehicle sensors and GPS units. The OpenXC website succinctly describes the platform as 'an API to your car.' Ford announced that OpenXC beta test kits are now shipping to developers worldwide, including U.S. institutions such as MIT and Standford as well as India's HCL Technologies."

12 of 58 comments (clear)

  1. While it's moving? by TheGoodNamesWereGone · · Score: 2

    At the same time (I don't have the news link handy) I think I read that there's a push to make the automakers ensure their snazzy tech gadgets aren't enabled while the car is moving. Presumably to keep peoples' eyes on the road instead of a screen. I'm not sure what to think about that.

    1. Re:While it's moving? by gbjbaanb · · Score: 2

      The new Jaguars have solved this problem with a screen that shows different stuff depending if you're the driver or passenger - so the driver sees a satnav screen, the passenger gets to watch TV (or whatever). I doubt it works if the screen is a touchscreen, but it's one idea to stop stupid crashing the weapon he's driving.

      Mind you, there is some stuff that's good to see while moving (after all we have satnavs), like SMS messages popping up in a big font - which would stop stupid from pulling out his phone to read the incoming text. That would probably be a good thing.

  2. It's all find and good by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny

    until my car is infected with a worm that takes over GPS navigation and directs me to a pr0n store.

    and it's the wrong one

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    1. Re:It's all find and good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      Not really. Right now it's a one-way data comm device - the OpenXC box sits on the vehicle CAN bus, picks out some info (gear, engine speed, vehicle speed, windshield wipers, etc...) and forwards it over USB bulk transfers formatted as JSON. Writes don't do anything that I know. The available API requires an android phone with USB-host support.

  3. MS sync + ford? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I thought ford was all about Microsoft. They used to run ads all the time about MS Sync. Many parts of syncmyride.com crash in chrome with .NET errors.

  4. Re:How about getting rid of the Eurotrash first? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It is funny that Ford was the first to start with what you call Eurotrash, and they were the only one who didn't go crying for a bailout. Maybe your opinion of what we should have for transportation is just that, your own. Yeah it is great for you but you've obviously never tried to park at my work. I have a Ford Focus and it is a tight fit.

  5. Re:So they were the first to hate Americans. by Microlith · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Compensating for something, are we?

  6. Re:Don't replace cylinders with air, it's worse. by ackthpt · · Score: 2

    My position on such devices:
    Forced induction as a supplement to an already high-powered/displacement engine == good.
    Forced induction as a replacement to cylinder count due to overzealous environmental regulations == unholy.

    I'll take a well-powered 6 over a turbo'd 4, a well-powered 8 over turbo'd 6, and look at a turbocharger if I really wanted to improve a well-powered 8. Forced induction might please the folks doing emissions testing, but all it does is cut corners for modern-day cars. These aren't the days of the turbocharged Grand National, where forced induction was applied properly, but where it is used to replace cylinders in a not-so-effective way.

    Ugh. Buick Grand National handled like a cow. I had a 1986 T-Bird Turbo, which had 273K on it when I towed it off to the scrap yard (engine still ran and had original turbo, which regularly delivered plenty of HP and torq for California mountain driving) alas, it was done in by Michigan Road Salt, which kills all cars eventually.

    With today's petrol prices I'll take my little 175HP 5cyl 6 speed dub, which delivers 30+ MPH and sticks to the road like glue in those winding, twisting mazes of mountain roads -- all alike. Detroit got it, it took them long enough. Use technology over brute force. There are engines a fraction the displacements of the 1960's (and early 70's) which deliver equivelent power with economy and emissions. Wondered why it took so long to get here. As for style, eh, every generations cars look weird compared to the previous.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  7. Re:Don't replace cylinders with air, it's worse. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Really? What's magical about 8 cylinders?? Wouldn't you also prefer a well powered 10 over a turbo'd 8, and a well powered 12 over a turbo'd 10, and a well powered 16 over a turbo'd 12??
    But for some reason you would look at turbo if you wanted to improve your well powered NA 8 cylinder.
    And how do you define performance? in general I would think HP/Ton is a good indicator. Well, look at the Lotus Exige; 2000 pounds and 240 horses (in the supercharged version). There might be 1 or 2 American cars that can out accelerate it, but there aren't any that handle as well. Guess what engine is in the Exige?? A Toyota 1.8L 4 cylinder. Oh, and it gets 25MPG. Not Eurotrash. Not underpowered. Not meant for "some Third World country". I'd say American car companies could learn a thing or two from Lotus.

    Just because you prefer muscle car style doesn't mean everyone prefers that. Some people prefer Formula1 styling. Some people prefer rally car styling. Some people just want a car that can hold their family, with moderate comfort, and a few groceries, while getting 40 MPG. And it's nice that all of these items are able to be purchased in the current market.

  8. What about fault diagnostics ? by Alain+Williams · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Will they make the engine/... diagnostics available through this API ? Currently they charge the repair garages a lot to have the software to be able to see why that fault light is lighting up on the dashboard. The effect is driving small repair shops & one man bands out of business -- good for Ford since it keeps their expensive dealerships in business.

    I expect not, they would not do anything genuinely useful if it damaged profits.

    1. Re:What about fault diagnostics ? by DigiShaman · · Score: 2

      From what I understand, there is the OBD2 standard, and then there proprietary extensions to it that can only be read or interpreted by the dealership for a particular make of car. These extensions are extras and non-critical I believe. But they do provide a tech advantage to help daignose a problem.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
  9. Re:How about getting rid of the Eurotrash first? by The+Dancing+Panda · · Score: 3, Insightful

    From what I've read, you want Detroit to produce a car that has a big engine and high fuel consumption. Doing that was a large part of why they needed to get bailed out in the first place. Gas is 3.50 a gallon and rising. That's not something people that are buying cars can afford anymore. You're getting power and economy. I'm not quite sure why you're complaining, exactly. I had an 8 Cylinder Taurus SHO, and now I have a 4 cylinder VW GTI. It is faster and gets better gas mileage. Why would you want to go backwards?