PlanckScale
JF-Expert Member
- Sep 28, 2008
- 550
- 169
As a hobby, I have been playing around with my car's computer in order to maximize the car's performance. Part of the reason for modifying the computer was to enable the car to accept the unconventional parts I had installed (bigger turbo, bigger injectors, bigger exhaust, bigger inter-cooler, bigger fuel pump, etc). The other reason was to have the ability to diagnosis the car, if needed.
The car computer, which is also called Engine Control Unit (ECU) or Control Box (as it is famously known in Bongo) has two types of communication protocols: OBDII and CAN. These protocols allow the user/technician to export/import data from the car for maintenance purposes. The OBDII protocol is an earlier implementation and mostly used in USA, while CAN is a more versatile protocol, more advance, and mostly used in Europe. However, the American market is slowly changing to CAN 2.0, as it becomes the industry's defector. Btw, CAN stands for Controller Area (yes you guess it right) Network!
It has always cross my mind that this can be a good career/business opportunity for someone with a good IT hardware/software background. Armed with a Laptop and a good knowledge of how various sensors in the car works, one can make good money as a troubleshooter. All fuel injector cars have these Control Boxes, and the newer cars are even more sophisticated computers embedded sensors for almost every module in the car (air bags, ABS, auto transmission, AC, alarm, remote access, etc).
Sometimes we in the IT field need to think outside the IT box...
Just my .2 cents
The car computer, which is also called Engine Control Unit (ECU) or Control Box (as it is famously known in Bongo) has two types of communication protocols: OBDII and CAN. These protocols allow the user/technician to export/import data from the car for maintenance purposes. The OBDII protocol is an earlier implementation and mostly used in USA, while CAN is a more versatile protocol, more advance, and mostly used in Europe. However, the American market is slowly changing to CAN 2.0, as it becomes the industry's defector. Btw, CAN stands for Controller Area (yes you guess it right) Network!
It has always cross my mind that this can be a good career/business opportunity for someone with a good IT hardware/software background. Armed with a Laptop and a good knowledge of how various sensors in the car works, one can make good money as a troubleshooter. All fuel injector cars have these Control Boxes, and the newer cars are even more sophisticated computers embedded sensors for almost every module in the car (air bags, ABS, auto transmission, AC, alarm, remote access, etc).
Sometimes we in the IT field need to think outside the IT box...
Just my .2 cents