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SmartCar

A bluetooth 4.0 device to open and close the doors, trunk and start the car.

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Most of the cars (specially older ones) has a normal key, which means you have to insert and turn it in order to start the engine.
I want to use my Pebble to work as my car remote to open/close doors and trunk with accelerometer movements. Also I'd like it to behave like the key fobs in the luxury cars (no key insertion, only presence necessary).
The chosen platform to perform this is an Android device, a Pebble, a Bluetooth LE module and an Arduino.

My first idea was to use a Nymi band to handle cryptography and comunication but it will take a while to get mine. I'm trying to get in the Developer Program...

In the meantime I will use my Pebble (that AFAIK only connect to a phone).

  • 1 × LightBlue Bean BLE 4.0 + Arduino module
  • 1 × Android Phone >= 4.3 Xperia ZL
  • 3 × NPN Transistor

  • LightBlue Bean

    nGoline02/05/2015 at 19:21 0 comments

    After a long and cold winter...

    ...I'm finding some time to work on it again. A few months ago I've received the Punch Through's Bean, a BLE device featuring an Arduino and a 4.0 Bluetooth. It can be programmed via iOS, Mac and since last week Windows 8.1 . The fact that I could only use iDevices was a dealbreaker so I was programming using an Arduino UNO as an AVR, which means that was time consuming to put the rig up and after that I stoped again.

    I put up another version of the Arduino code on the Git and will get back on the Android App.

    The grat news is that today my Nimy has arrived on the PO. Bad news is that I paid U$~150 for it including shipping and in Brazil we have to pay 60% taxes including it all, the icing on the cake is that converted to Brazilian Real I have to pay almost R$250 in taxes!

  • NO CAR

    nGoline08/20/2014 at 18:42 0 comments

    Unfortunately I sold my car about two months ago for a good cause. I'm finally buying my own house (you can expect lots of projects in the near future while I make my house full internet connected).

    I also changed jobs and on the last couple months I've been working 10 to 12 hours a day (no time for my projects). I can't spend more than an hour a week on it, which made my progress very slow.

    I will update my GIT next week with the last Arduino and Android code.

    In the mean time I'm making some researches on BUS injections to make it fit most cars/makes via OBD II/ISO port right out of the box.

  • First Prototype

    nGoline04/21/2014 at 15:55 1 comment

    I've just finish my first prototype. It was made with Autodesk's 123circuits. I ordered 3 boards and will arrive sometime in the next months. The tests with the Protoboard was successfull. I will post more details as soon as it arrives.

    It will be my first SMD circuit, I have never used solder flow. Any tips apreciated!

    In the meanwhile I have to continue the development of the android application and since I'm using a Attiny85 instead of an Arduino Uno I'll have to make the arduino code smaller without give up the security part.

  • First Steps: Pebble

    nGoline03/13/2014 at 14:55 0 comments

    Well, I don't have much to talk about the development of the Pebble app.

    It's very straightforward and there's lots of examples in their SDK and a lot more in the wild. A quick search through GitHub gave me all I needed to put up the first version of my app.

    The app is very simple for now:
    - The 'UP' and 'DOWN' buttons sends a small message to the android app to turn on and off the led in this order;
    - When it initializes it vibrates.
    - A label shows if the message was received.

    My next step is to add GYRO interactions to send the commands as well. That way when I get close to the car the app on the phone will open the app on the Pebble which will vibrate, then I just have to make a movement with my arm to open or close the car.

    I will put all the files on GitHub as soon as I have some time.

  • First Steps: Android

    nGoline03/12/2014 at 16:07 0 comments

    As you can see in my BIO, I'm a C# developer at a major financial group in Brazil. My major job is to make web applications and sometimes Windows Services.

    I have a little experience in Java from the college but none with Android apps.

    And so, the Adventure Time began! I did a little research and found some examples on how to add buttons and labels to the View and how to change Views. I made my first app with 2 buttons: ON and OFF. I managed to turn a led on and off across the room. That was the first step and it was far from what i had to do.

    After this point I decided that I had to use BLE instead of the standard Bluetooth module for several reasons like the power comsumption.

    It is very dificult to find info about BLE, which one to buy, which features to look for and so on and I saw a lot of people talking about the Texas Instrument CC2540 chip so I bought a module called DBM-01, from DORJI applied Technologies.

    While I was waiting for my modules to arrive from China, I began to develop my Pebble App.

  • First Steps: Arduino

    nGoline03/12/2014 at 15:44 0 comments

    I had a little PIC dev kit when I was younger and back then I made some basic projects that came with the kit. That was all my experience with electronics so far.

    I bought some Digispark modules in their Kickstarter's campaign and I decided to use it in this project, but as I said before, my experience with Arduino was null.

    As you may imagine, I made some poor connections between the Digispark and some leds using cables, laying in bed, not using a protoboard... I fried my 2 Digispark in one evening trying to accomplish an easy task.

    So I bought an Arduino Clone, Garagino, that is compatible to a UNO and I began to use the best practices when it comes to prototyping. Which means: a ProtoBoard, a Multimeter, a Table, proper Protoboard wires and so on.

    Done! I was able to connect to my Bluetooth module via Software Serial and exchange some comands with my Android phone using an App called "Bluetooth SPP PRO". I managed to blink some leds from the phone and it felt awesome!

    The next step was to make an Android App to connect to the Arduino via Bluetooth. It should auto connect and warn my Pebble that it was in range, then I would press a button on my Pebble to open my car's door.

    But things is not that easy as I will point in the next log.

  • First Steps

    nGoline03/12/2014 at 03:26 0 comments

    My experience with bluetooth is null, just like my experience with arduino, Pebble app development and Android (java)... 

    I'm more comfortable with arduino, Pebble(C like) and Java because as a teacher once said about programming: "you have to master the logic, not the language". About the bluetooth technology: I know I can use serial communication to send messages and that's enough to start my project... 

    Next I will talk about the challenges I found right on the beginning of the development. 

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Jasmine Brackett wrote 08/05/2014 at 23:53 point
Hello nGoline, now is the time to add a few more details to your project to give it the best chance of going through to the next round of The Hackaday Prize. By August 20th you must have the following:
- A video. It should be less than 2 minutes long describing your project. Put it on YouTube (or Youku), and add a link to it on your project page. This is done by editing your project (edit link is at the top of your project page) and adding it as an "External Link"
- At least 4 Project Logs (you got this)
- A system design document (I couldn't find it)
- Links to code repositories, and remember to mention any licenses or permissions needed for your project.

There is a couple of tutorial video's with more info here: http://hackaday.com/2014/07/26/4-minutes-to-entry/

Good luck!

  Are you sure? yes | no

nGoline wrote 08/20/2014 at 18:23 point
Hi Jasmine, thank you for the reminder. I think I'm done for the first round. In the meanwhile I will work to put all the said functionalities to work.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Adam Fabio wrote 07/15/2014 at 05:21 point
Anyone who's locked their keys in the car will love this! Thanks for submitting SmartCar to the Hackaday Prize! Don't forget to upload a video, and keep the updates rolling in!

  Are you sure? yes | no

nGoline wrote 08/20/2014 at 18:21 point
Hi Adam, thanks for the comment. You just gave me another functionality idea and it's already in the video, now you can send a SMS or email to your mobile to open your car if you also forget your phone inside with your keys...

  Are you sure? yes | no

Nick Moretto wrote 05/01/2014 at 00:49 point
I currently have a Jeep Wrangler '08 and I am wanting to add unlock and keyless ignition via NFC. I was wondering if you had any tips for me. I see you are using the spare key but do you know of a way I could do this without that?

  Are you sure? yes | no

lunaras wrote 05/01/2014 at 02:12 point
I've got an '08 Wrangler as well and am in the planning stages of a similar project. My plan involved using a microcontroller or PC tied into a remote start system using the serial connection they all seem to have (normally used to allow interaction between the remote start, the immobilizer bypass module, and aftermarket alarm systems). From what I understand, the immobilizer bypass module is designed to allow the vehicle to start without a key when the remote start module signals it to do so.

I haven't found anything on what protocols are used for that connection yet, but once I eventually get the parts I'm hoping to figure that out. In the mean time, maybe this idea will help you with what you're working on.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Nick Moretto wrote 05/01/2014 at 02:17 point
That is a good idea didn't think of that. I recently got a NFC implant (not yet implanted) and I am thinking of using a simple Arduino with a NFC shield connected to a key fob for keyless entry for now. If you gain any progress with that project let me know!

  Are you sure? yes | no

nGoline wrote 08/20/2014 at 18:32 point
Hi Nick and Lunaras, I made no progress in the last couple months. I'm working 10 to 12 hours a day lately!
I was studying the possibility to comunicate trough the car BUS. I built an GoodThopter12 to study further on this matter but before it was done I sold my car.
In the meantime I'm searching the interwebs for some solution related to BUS command injection to make a module that would work with a most car/makes right out of the box.
If you find something about it let me know! :)

  Are you sure? yes | no

Eric Evenchick wrote 04/21/2014 at 17:11 point
Hey, I'm curious how you're actually signalling the car to unlock. Does the transistor emulate pressing the door unlock button?

  Are you sure? yes | no

nGoline wrote 04/21/2014 at 18:00 point
Exactly, I will make a module for it that will connect to my spare key and the transistors will simulate the pressing of the button. I'm studying the possibility of BUS injection to simulate the signal direct from the module. I thought it was CAN BUS until last night when I saw the hackaday post about LIN BUS injection. According to the repair manual, the alarm system on the Fortwo is trhough LIN B network.

  Are you sure? yes | no

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