Would you buy this type of system for your car

Webmonkey

Hello everybody...

I'm gone all entrepreneurial again. I done a lot of work on my final year project (check blog in sig) a few months ago which was an embedded touch screen computer that connected to the diagnostic port of any car and displayed the data on it.

I want to continue this work and perhaps establish some company that develops car infotainment ssytems.

My idea is to go along with the iphone model in that to create a platform from which developers could create "car apps" that used various sensory data from the engine, GPS etc. Perhaps create web services where you could connect over 3G to send the data online so you can "track" your vehicle etc. Maybe create groups where individuals can see where eachother are (Maybe a road trip or something)

Other features may include connecting to your speaker system and playing MP3's etc from it.


As it stands I can't give a cost of this device but I'd assume it be under €1000 anyways.

Do you think there would be a market for such a product.

Just looking for some opinions....

Cheers

Atomic Pineapple

Very limited market I'd imagine, there is already stuff out there that can do this such as the APEXI RSM and it has a G sensor attachment too for extra information.

Most people who are into modding there cars will put there money into mechanical modifications first and then on proper engine management systems that can be mapped to suit the modifications carried out.

And people not into modding will want just a basic entertainment system that plays movies, music whatever, they wont care about signals are coming from the car.

It will be a very niche market I'd imagine.

The iphone style idea is cool but ultimately I cant see that working, I can imagine theres only a limited number of usefull applications that would be viable and the rest would be gimmicks.

This would ultimately put developers off big time and I cant see that many being interested in it anyway.

Apologies for my post being so negative but I'm just trying to be as honest as possible, you could take positives out of my post and provide solutions to the problems I've highlighted

Webmonkey

No no all is welcome. Cheers

Owen

I don't think so, I got an ODBII scanner for 40 quid on ebay, and I have dynolicious on my iPhone for 10 euro. Plus, if you did want me to part with cash, you'd need to be able to enable/disable specific manufacturer only features on my cars, and read manufacturers only codes too.

mik_da_man

There's already a proudct like that for the Focus ST
Dreamscience

I have an earlier version that reads codes and stuff, but the new version is lke a GPS screen...

Webmonkey

mik_da_man wrote: »

There's already a proudct like that for the Focus ST
Dreamscience

I have an earlier version that reads codes and stuff, but the new version is lke a GPS screen...

Cheers. I'll look into that.

I'm thinking going open source with this project and see where things go from there.

gfoster

As it stands theres many ways of doing this these days which are pretty cheap.

if you have a carputer set up, just get a obd to usb and receive all the info.
its jus software based then for what ya want to do.

theres many apps out for the iphone now, jus get a obd to wifi connect and your connected.

most of these software packages format your readings in excel and word and give you the option to email to yourself etc.

all relatively cheap too.

car iphone apps around 30 euro average, obd to wifi adapters 100 euro.

ARGINITE

Let us know if you do open source it, I would be interested in having a look.

Webmonkey

ARGINITE wrote: »

Let us know if you do open source it, I would be interested in having a look.

No problem. There's another thread about starting off a programming group for Ireland (Coders.ie) - once we get something up there I might move the project onto it and start something with it. Time is so scarce these days unfort

Pdfile

Webmonkey wrote: »

Hello everybody...

I'm gone all entrepreneurial again. I done a lot of work on my final year project (check blog in sig) a few months ago which was an embedded touch screen computer that connected to the diagnostic port of any car and displayed the data on it.

I want to continue this work and perhaps establish some company that develops car infotainment ssytems.

My idea is to go along with the iphone model in that to create a platform from which developers could create "car apps" that used various sensory data from the engine, GPS etc. Perhaps create web services where you could connect over 3G to send the data online so you can "track" your vehicle etc. Maybe create groups where individuals can see where eachother are (Maybe a road trip or something)

Other features may include connecting to your speaker system and playing MP3's etc from it.


As it stands I can't give a cost of this device but I'd assume it be under €1000 anyways.

Do you think there would be a market for such a product.

Just looking for some opinions....

Cheers

devices like this normally either help you crash or the business crashes....


sorry but its a tough world...


why not make a non cancerous fake sugar for coffe instead ?

Webmonkey

Pdfile wrote: »

devices like this normally either help you crash or the business crashes....


sorry but its a tough world...


why not make a non cancerous fake sugar for coffe instead ?

Thanks for the support!

Well, looking into voice recognition and talk back like kitt would be another idea

Webmonkey

I might take another route with this project. It might be better to target the mechanics for advanced diagnostics. Obviously I need more than just the standard diagnostic tool and codes so...

I was thinking by reading available real time data, that the system could learn using AI techniques (I'm currently doing AI/Bayesian Network stuff) that is very applicable to this area. I might give a go with an intelligent system that can result in most likely problem with a car based on available sensor data, historical data and manual input (symptoms) from humans.

This might be very ambitious but I'd love to give it a go. Maybe no mechanic would want it but might be a learning experience all the same.

Cheers

Very ambitio