[ale] need 5" android tablet / phone for obd car instrumentation

Alex Carver agcarver+ale at acarver.net
Tue Sep 17 00:03:13 EDT 2013


On 9/16/2013 18:44, Ron Frazier (ALE) wrote:

> I guess a bluetooth adapter would be ok if it shuts off within minutes
> or seconds after the car is turned off.  I don't want anyone hacking
> into my engine while I'm in a parking lot though.  A guy at an auto
> parts store told me more advanced obd scanners can unlock the doors, etc.

So wire it that way.  You just need a relay connected to (or draw power 
for the dongle from) the ignition switch or some other hot-when-running 
wire.  If the car isn't running, the dongle is off.  For that matter you 
could just wire a mechanical switch to turn the thing off.

It is only possible to unlock doors or do other functions if the OBD 
connector bus is attached to the same bus controlling the locks.  Some 
manufacturers did link subsystems together via the OBD or CAN buses 
which would allow such a hack.  Others did not.


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