Vehicle Commander Project Thread

Hello All,

This is a new profile since I couldn't log into my existing one. I'm working on a project for school/myself based off an Arduino micro controller. It will consist of a few major components:

1. Arduino board with programming (C)

2. Radio Frequency Identification

3. Wireless router

4. Android programming:
Control Interface

Dashboard Interface


The RFID chip in the picture will be implanted into my hand, similarly to that of the ones used to identify lost pets. With that, I will be able to swipe my hand once to unlock the truck, twice to unlock and instantly start the truck, and three times to lock the truck (almost redundant with internal switch).

The arduino will be connected to a wireless router to broadcast an encrypted connection to my Droid 2 phone. I will have to take apart the router, and solder in provisions for a TTL serial interface to connect to the arduino. I will then have to upload customized firmware onto the router (OpenWRT) to set up a wireless network for the truck. All of this sums up to being able ot:
1. Control Mode
-Remotely start the truck (one RFID swipe required to drive away, vehicle will die once brake pedal depressed if not)
-Enable accesories (radio, etc)
-Kill truck (if speed<5mph)
-Lock Doors and tailgate
-Unlock Doors and tailgate
-Turn on/off Headlights
-Turn on/off the domelight
-Remotely monitor inside temperature
-Remotely monitor outside temperature
2. Dashboard mode (can be switched to HUD by mirroring image and placing on dash)
-View date and time
-View direction (North, south, east, west)
-View rate of acceleration or deceleration (5.0 turbo to come )
-View Current speed as per on vehicle sensor
-View RPM
-View outside temperature
-View coolant temperature
-See Check engine light (if applicable)

All of this will done via an 802.11g network with a high sensitivity antenna up to 300 feet away. Above are mock up pictures of the control and dashboard functions on the phone, below are the actual images.



This is an ongoing project that probably wont be done for about 2 years, I just wanted a way to track my progress as well as get input from some people. Let me know if you have any questions

Wow, this is really cool! I'll keep watching. Your Ranger will be the Guinea Pig?

802.11g alot of people with wireless notebooks, will have access to your truck. Hell even bluetooth would be kinda questionable. What are your cyber security measures? What if you get a virus.

Yes it will be going on my ranger . And as for wifi security, the data will be encrypted via WPA2 standards with a Pre Shared Key (PSK). So if someone would need to hack that in order to get access to my truck, but they would only be able to unlock it. if they were to take the vehicle out of park the truck will shut off.

You are officially my hero. This will be sick.

how long will this take? it seems like a whole lot of work? but will be soo bad ass... and what if you loose your phone but have your keys?

What happens if you are near your truck and get buzzed by a wasp, when you start flailing your hand around will your truck start doing back flips with everything turning on and off?

This is going to be a cool on...

93baker said:

how long will this take? it seems like a whole lot of work? but will be soo bad ass... and what if you loose your phone but have your keys?

Click to expand...

I'm working on it in stages, I will have the RFID and wireless working by spring break, and the phone application hopefully by the end of summer break. I'm learning programming as I go and the cell phone app is a little different than C that is on the microcontroller. I will no longer carry keys, an RFID chip will be implanted in my hand so I will never need to have a key . An RFID swipe is required to keep the truck running past 10 minutes and prior to pressing the brake pedal (when taking the truck out of park). So the person with my phone would have access to the inside of my truck, but would not be able to drive it away. I could password protect the phone app but I am overly protective of my phone anyway so I dont think it will be a problem.

LIMA BEAN said:

What happens if you are near your truck and get buzzed by a wasp, when you start flailing your hand around will your truck start doing back flips with everything turning on and off?

Click to expand...

I'm not afraid of bees. I'll punch a bee in the FACE! Lol. The read distance on an RFID implant is fairly short (a good thing, you dont want people to scavenge your chip ID) so theres not an issue with extraneous swipes.

jamesde1123 said:

I'm not afraid of bees. I'll punch a bee in the FACE!

Click to expand...

Consider yourself sigged sir.

hahaha nice!

but what im saying is what if you drop your phone it water or your battery dies then you cant get into your truck or start it? seems to me you need a fail safe of some sort. or "plan b"

i was planning on running 9 AA batteries to the door lock solenoid in a hidden spot on a separate circuit so it cant be discharge by the truck. If the battery dies, it dies, i have to get a jump anyway. see below.

Very nice - I am working on getting my rear vision system lined out - have been running 2 cameras full time for the better part of this year. So I understand the time issues totally. I will have to keep an eye on this.

jamesde1123 said:

i was planning on running 9 AA batteries to the door lock solenoid in a hidden spot on a separate circuit so it cant be discharge by the truck. If the battery dies, it dies, i have to get a jump anyway. see below.

Click to expand...

okay gotcha. looks like it will work. now what about battery life of the vehicle since you will have the wifi router on all the time to receive the signal i dont know how much juice it takes to run that but it seems like it could run the battery down quick... and sorry for the questions im just interested lol.