My Car PC – Installing Android Auto

After the successful Beta stage of my Car PC build I could not add anything much due to workplace commitments. However one thing that fascinated me was the introduction of Android Auto by Google.
Still the problem in adopting Android Auto into my setup was that it is compatible only with the Hardware manufactured by partnering manufacturers and there was no way to obtain details about developing a head unit app by an average person. Of course the community quickly began to reverse engineer the workings of Android Auto mobile app and the provided Simulators and quickly surfaced an open source head unit app for Android Tablets working in OTG mode. Going on that direction, I was almost about to put Android x86 and port that so called head unit app into x86. Yet a web search for that app suddenly pointed to a recently announced desktop head unit app by Google itself.
So I reinstalled the Windows 7 Embedded platform with required components (This time approx. 1.5GB image) installed JDK (which is a prerequisite for Android SDK) and Android SDK tools (which provides adb.exe) along with Android Auto desktop head unit app and Google USB drivers.
Still I’m using my old startup sequence of launching Centrafuse Auto from my own custom shell application. And made a batch script to forward tcp:5277 in adb and then launch the head unit app. I have then added this as an Application plugin titled as Android Auto to Centrafuce app. While in this video I have to accept the annoying Debug authorization prompt on my mobile   I have get rid of that by selecting the checkbox for "Always allow from this computer". Only caveat with this setup is that I have to click on Maximize button to adjust the head unit app to screen since I’m running at 800x600 resolution. It also has a title bar on top of the screen yet. But apart from that it’s almost as the authentic Android Auto experience from that point onwards.

And the usual disclaimer that goes with any project of this nature:
The method depicted in this post is only experimental and if you choose to follow the same you are fully responsible for any damages that may arise as a result. Also always stay fully aware of driving conditions and always obey applicable laws. In case system may become unstable and unresponsive do not try to handle you mobile while driving.

[Posted with Windows Live Writer™ 2012 on Windows 10 64bit]

My Car PC– Beta Build

After the success in the GPS receiver installation I thought, OK now it’s time to get serious and make a proper installation with some real H/W. The only obstacle preventing that was a way to import some decent H/W that was in my mind. Specially a good APU based system with low power consumption, touch screen display, SSD and what not.
Fortunately a couple of colleague from my workplace was returning from US on-site visit and I finally managed to source following H/W.
1. ASRock E350M1/USB3 Motherboard $109.99 from Amazon.com
2. OCZ Agility 3 - SATA III 2.5 60GB SSD $87.99 from Amazon.com
3. VM70 - 7" TFT LCD touchscreen monitor $119 from eBay store.
4. G.Skill DDR3 1333MHz 2GB (From local computer shop) (For around some LKR 2000+ I think)
5. Plastic Mini ITX VESA Mnt HTPC Car Computer Case(Black A) $37.50 from eBay.
6. For the power supply, I ordered a Pico PSU 12V 120W DC-DC MINI ITX ATX PC Power Supply as well from eBay. $24.99
following is the collection of above items along with other peripherals (OBD-II, GPS cables) I have sourced during previous builds.

However unfortunately I found out it hard way (By blowing a voltage regulator IC of motherboard while testing it with a analog variable power supply, which was uncontrollable.) that Pico PSU is not capable of operating in wide input voltage range of the vehicle.
So had to wait yet another few months (Actually almost an year) to get a new Motherboard (This time, $87.55 from Amazon.com warehouse deals). I also got a M1-ATX Automotive DC-DC Power Supply, 90 Watt for $32.99 from eBay this time.
Once all the necessary items are sourced I test benched the entire setup. (This time using a better digital variable power supply. )

For the software setup, I used following setup.
Windows Embedded Standard 7 (Minimalistic setup with Command prompt shell with custom shell support – Approx 1GB image size)
Centrafuse 3.5
Garmin Mobile PC
For mounting the touchscreen I sourced a 1DIN holder for few hundred rupees from local scrapyard (Panchikawaththa) for auto parts, since I did not wanted to drill holes on original 1DIN holder that was in the center console. After bit of dismantling and drilling few holes on 1DIN holder I bought I could mount the screen on it.
Once all the required items are ready, I moved into the vehicle. After pulling the panels on the dashboard I could access the center console for replacing the empty 1DIN holder with the screen.

Once the screen is mounted, got the wires layered below the retrofitted carpeting in the vehicle to the backseat under which I plan to put the PC.

Once all wired up, it’s time to fire up the setup and enjoy the fruits of hard work.

Few weeks later, I ordered a reverse camera as well from eBay (18 AUD) and hooked it up to reverse light power supply and connected to Aux input of the LCD monitor so it switch to reverse camera when I shift into reverse.


So that’s it?
I’m afraid it isn’t. There are much more to do. I already have ordered a Parking distance sensor kit and a USB logic analyzer and couple more front/side view cameras. Ideas are boundless. Only time is what I’m lacking of.
[Posted with Windows Live Writer™ 2012 on Windows 7 64bit]

My Car PC – Alpha Build (GPS Navigation)

After the success in first Car PC build I had, decided to go further with adding a GPS unit to the build. So I went straight to eBay and ordered a GlobalSat BU353 USB GPS Receiver. After a couple of weeks I received a mail from Colombo central mail exchange that the item is on hold at customs. Oh Sh!# .
So I went to the customs office and upon inspection in presence of customs officer, I was directed to TRC (Telecommunication Regulatory Commission) to obtain the approval. I really did not have any option other than that since the damn thing was clearly marked as a GPS. Upon submitting a written request to TRC they said they would forward my request to MoD (Ministry of defense) for approval. Fortunately I did not have to go to MoD as well (They did a brief interview over the phone though )
And after the much of the drama and almost all the government institutions sending letters here and there between each other to consult on the matter, finally I got the approval back from TRC. (At one point I was wondering whether they would even consult CIA, FBI and DoD of USA as well for the matter that I’m about to use their GPS system ) Then after submitting back the TRC approval and paying around thousand rupees got the damn thing back. Following is the bunch of letters I received from various government institutions regarding this matter.

Phew, However fortunately I found out that It’s having a Prolific chip for converting serial data to USB and managed to get a WindowsCE driver and get the GPS receiver to connect to eBox. I also decided to put the mini PC under the drivers seat so the dashboard stays clutter free.

The next task was to put in a navigation app. Unfortunately it was not easy to find a navigation app for the Windows CE x86 processor architecture. Even there was since there is no way to make input to the PC. it was not going to make much help. So I decided to make a homebrew application using static maps tiles I scraped off the Google Maps static map API. (I know it kind of violate the license agreement but do I have any other option? specially since the device is not connected to internet.) Following is the crude UI of the current system. It simply show the current location on the static map tiles so basically it’s better than nothing.

Apart from that it also logs all the information received from OBD-II cable as well as GPS receiver data in case requirement arise for the later analyze.
So I think now it’s time to get serious and buy some real H/W for a decent Car PC.
[Posted with Windows Live Writer™ 2012 on Windows 7 64bit]

My Car PC – Alpha Build

From the first day I got my I wanted to build up a Car PC. But the problem was finding the parts I want to put in the build. While entry level components like Intel 945GCLF and later 945GCLF2 was available in the local marked I couldn’t convince myself to settle for anything that does not have a ION chipset. And neither I could find an easy way to get that kind of board from offshore.
So I just ordered only an OBD-II cable from eBay for some 17$ and was using with laptop to read out OBD parameters that I noticed it also have Windows CE drivers as well. Well after all while I don’t like to waste my on an Intel board I could certainly try out hooking up eBox 2300 I had on my i-Robot Sumo which I won at Imagine Cup 2009 Finals if I just had a suitable screen.
Well I thought why don’t I try out buying a cheap VGA to AVI converter and a Small screen used for Car reversing cameras. It won’t be a waste since I can certainly use those for either robot itself or for the Car PC it self as a secondary display in a later stage when I got the proper hardware. And anyway total cost for both will be just under 40$
So again off to the eBay and got both ordered. While VGA converter was fast to come the screen got a considerable time to get delivered which almost annoyed me but fortunately it was finally delivered.
So I just wired in everything together and stuffed the CE PC inside the empty DIN slot below the Car Audio/CD player.

But the problem was that I noticed after a while eBox was really hot and worried about it’s long running health. So I just moved it to the slot over the cubby hole and stuffed all wires and the VGA converter in the DIN slot.

For the software part I actually didn’t had much of a requirement at this stage. After all it is just a Windows CE 6 PC with just 200MHz CPU, 128 MB RAM with 256 MB Flash storage.
It even showed that not just adequate to even run a Full screen video at VGA resolutions so no use of trying it as a video player. But after all I was just after the onboard diagnostics so I just wrote out a crude application that collect all those fancy data from the OBD-II protocol and log them.

Car PC–Build 1

Later I wrote a simple program that let me to analyze the captured data on a PC. Following is a sample data set from that tool.

[Posted with Windows Live Writer™ 2011 on Windows 7 64bit]