As computers started making entry into our everyday lives, automobiles were the obvious area for use of computers. Since 1968, various manufacturers have used computer systems in the automobile to collect various types of data. This is commonly referred as OBD – Onboard Diagnostics.
What is OBD?
Onboard Diagnostics is a term in automobile industry which refers to vehicles self-diagnostic and reporting capabilities. These systems are extremely helpful to give inside information to the mechanic, manufacturing company and/or vehicle owner. Several data points such as emission levels, driving pattern, vehicle location etc can be collected using Onboard Diagnostics. These data points could later be utilized for various types of analytics and/or diagnostics.
Nowadays almost all cars are equipped with OBD port. The current standard is OBD-II (the US and other countries) and EOBD (European countries). This is an improvement over OBD-I in terms of capability and standardization. The new standard includes specifications for the diagnostic connector, pinout, electrical signals and messaging protocol.
Applications
- Handheld scan tools – fault code readers, reset tools etc.
- Mobile app analytics – connect using USB port or simply stream data using internet/cellular or Bluetooth connection to the mobile device for further analysis
- Data loggers – Log data over a period of time and use it later. Could be used by insurance companies to decide insurance premiums or calculate risk factors.
- Emission Testing
- Vehicle Telematics – can be used for fleet tracking, geo-fencing or pay-as-you-go use cases.
Based on OBD-II standard several devices and applications have made it to the market as the Internet of Things is catching the world’s attention. Case in point – A device based on Raspberry Pi which acts as an extendable IoT platform for car – “Autopi”
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Related Keywords
Internet Of Things, Fleet Tracking, CAN bus
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