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Open Source Car-Hacking Tool Successfully Crowdfunded (kickstarter.com)
An anonymous reader writes:
Two geeks are crowdfunding an open source car hacking tool that will allow builders to experiment with diagnostics, telematics, security, and prototyping. "Cars have become complicated and expensive to work with," they explain on a Kickstarter page. "Macchina wants to use open source hardware to help break down these barriers and get people tinkering with their cars again." After years developing a beta prototype, they announced a tiny plug-and-play device/development platform (that can also be hardwired under the hood) on an Arduino Due board with a 32-bit ARM microcontroller. They almost immediately reached their $25,000 funding goal, and with 24 days left to go they've already raised $41,672, and they're now also selling t-shirts to benefit the EFF's "Right to Repair" activism.
Challenging "the closed, unpublished nature of modern-day car computers," their M2 device ships with protocols and libraries "to work with any car that isn't older than Google." With catchy slogans like "root your ride" and "the future is open," they're hoping to build a car-hacking developer community, and they're already touting the involvement of Craig Smith, the author of the Car Hacker's Handbook from No Starch Press.
"The one thing that all car hobbyists can agree on is that playing with cars isn't cheap," argues the campaign page. "Open source hardware is the answer!"
Challenging "the closed, unpublished nature of modern-day car computers," their M2 device ships with protocols and libraries "to work with any car that isn't older than Google." With catchy slogans like "root your ride" and "the future is open," they're hoping to build a car-hacking developer community, and they're already touting the involvement of Craig Smith, the author of the Car Hacker's Handbook from No Starch Press.
"The one thing that all car hobbyists can agree on is that playing with cars isn't cheap," argues the campaign page. "Open source hardware is the answer!"
I've got a $5 bet that says automobile manufacturers file for an injuction against them and/or sue them and/or file for a DMCA takedown because they're violating copyright. Regardless of what they're doing being right and good.
I can't wait for a five autonomous car coordinated attack on some crowded public area.
Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
I've been working on some canbus boards in eagle to make something similar to this, but this seems to have everything I want. There have been similar products for a long time but nothing as DIY friendly as this as far as I've seen. This being completely open, complete with libraries, wireless, breakout board, etc. all ready to go is exactly what I've wanted for years.
Now we just need a better aftermarket-but-hackable ECU that isn't megasquirt. I've been looking into rusefi, which seems promising. I just wish one of them would support resistor spark plugs so you can detect knock via ion sensing (I'm unaware of any). Using the older Saab ECUs for this is nice (Trionic 5.2 and 5.5, tuned with T5suite) but I would much rather have something built from the ground up that doesn't rely on parts that are quickly going out of existence.
It's [THE CURRENT YEAR] and we still rely on stupid piezo microphones for knock detection for aftermarket ECUs.
I can tell you've never been in the military. Google Douglas MacArthur for an example of people in the military and how they feel about obeying presidential authority. He's just one in a long line of Generals and Admirals that had problems with Presidents. Ultimately the US military answers to the president as Commander in Chief but it's hardly a lickspittle relationship.
He's in control of all the nuclear missiles. If he says "launch" the air force won't stop him.
Unfortunately, this is probably correct. Those guys are trained to turn the keys when the light goes on, and that's about it.
Sadly, the nuclear launch protocol was designed for speed, not debate. This means you could go into the bathroom, spend five minutes pooping and when you come out we could be well into the second round of nuclear launches.
Could Trump initiate a nuclear exchange? I wish I could say "no", but I'd just be kidding myself.
“You know what uranium is, right? It’s this thing called nuclear weapons. And other things. Like lots of things are done with uranium. Including some bad things. But nobody talks about that.”
This is the guy with his finger on the button. What could possibly go wrong?
Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
We are thinking for ourselves, which is making liberal idiots like you have fits.
A really quick debate. Maybe 2 minutes. In reality, if Trump started giggling and ordered a nuke launch there's an almost certainty that someone will pump a bullet in his head. If the Russians are over the border into Poland and bombers are in the air then they'll probably go along with it. The guys in the silos have no idea what's going on. They get a launch order and it validates then they turn the keys. At the Joint Chiefs level things are a lot less automatic. The Chiefs have some latitude with an order that is obviously nuts. There has to be a credible threat. If you believe that the president can just arbitrarily launch nukes on a whim and out of the blue you have no idea of the character of the people that serve in the US Armed Forces.
OpenXC is a Ford sponsored open source hardware and software project that allows you to read and inject messages using the CAN. I have been using it for about 3 years on my Focus and then my F-150. There are several libraries available, including python. There is also a test client for Android.
For an example of what can be done with the device, check out http://connectedcars.splunk4good.com/en-US/app/connectedcars/overview
In states?
This is going to be an EPA regulation, nationwide. Lest some shade-tree mechanic decides he'd like to tune his car for performance and fuck the emissions up.
Have gnu, will travel.
Here is an already commercialized project if you'd like to avoid the Kickstarter scam which has the same form factor as this project
http://freematics.com/store/in...
Or you know, the hundreds of people that thought about this before and documented it.
https://www.google.com/search?...
-or-
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tut...
I should start a Kickstarter myself to develop some knock-offs.
Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
I'm guessing these people have never talked to an Australian.
"Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
It already is an EPA regulation. Companies, by law, have to make a best effort to avoid people trying to change anything that can affect emissions regulations.
It already is an EPA regulation. Companies, by law, have to make a best effort to avoid people trying to change anything that can affect emissions regulations.
The automakers have to do that. The rest of us can sell auto hacking tools with impunity as long as they have substantial non-infringing use, and our right to develop them is actually explicitly protected by law (even through reverse engineering.) So the automakers might well be prohibited from giving us the information we need to tune the vehicle, but it's legal for us to sniff the bus while they do it.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
After all, it's a Kickstarter. Chances of it shipping on time or actually working outweigh any damage that could be done.
The automakers have to do that. The rest of us can sell auto hacking tools with impunity as long as they have substantial non-infringing use, and our right to develop them is actually explicitly protected by law (even through reverse engineering.) So the automakers might well be prohibited from giving us the information we need to tune the vehicle, but it's legal for us to sniff the bus while they do it.
Not in California. We have a fucking stupid huge bureaucracy dedicated to making upgrades unaffordable, because the 3000 people who actively race cars are a huge threat to the environment. Fucking stupidities nirvana here where you can't buy a race cam without asking mother may I.
While I do take offense at the CARB equipment restrictions, you can have basically any kind of car you want in California so long as you build it yourself. It smogs as the engine donor. You only have to do a certain percentage of the work yourself.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
You must think they just give him a box with a button and when he feels like it he can just press it and the missiles leave.