My PC Idea

[XCESIV]

I am looking to build a car pc for my show car that i wanna finish this year

Here is a list of features and stuff i would like to try implement. Are any of the features i have listed not possible currently through this software.

Car PC Features
The CarPC will control the following features

• Electric Windows
• Car Stereo
• Engine Diagnostics
• Electric Boot Lid Controls (currently on a timer using alarm remote as a trigger.
• Air Suspension. (control 8 electronic valves. safety features listed below)
• Sat Nav
• Electric Handbrake
• Dash Heater and fan controlls
• Overide control box plug in for essentials to be overide when/if carpc crashes.

Extra Features include

• Wifi. Connect to my laptop Wirlessly for updates and external control
• Vehicle Demo mode. The Car will go through its features randomly, with certain rules in place. Open close windows, open boot, control air suspension.
• Connect to PDA Phone or iphone for external control some features

Possible Options

• mousecall intergrated into centre console.
• Fingerprint Code Entry

Features in Detail
Control Panel

• 10.4" touch screen flush mount into dash
• Plugin option of External touchscreen for demonstrations at shows.
• at shows the external screen becomes the controlling screen for the car.
• Wireless Control via PDA Phone or 3g Iphone.

Car Stereo

• Fade Front/back and Left/Right
• Sub Control
• Connect to 3 external Amps
• Run 2 Pairs of Splits
• 1 Sub
• 2 external TV Screens
• Rear boot splits turn off when boot closed
  (amp remote trigger disconnects automatically when boot shuts so no car pc work to be done for this feature)

Air Suspension

• Control Each corner of the cars suspension seperatly in setup mode
• 4 Electronic up Valves
• 4 Electronic down Valves
• System Lock when car is running and/or car not in park/Neatral.
• Suspension only adjustable when car is not in Gear
• Safety backup installed for when the car is in gear. System disconnects from valves stopping any chance of suspension adjustments while driving. this can be ran through the transmission which disconnects the main earth running for 8 valves. no Earth no circuit.
• Demo Mode. Suspension plays by itself running random corners of the car by itself
• controlable from main screen, external screen and pda phone/Iphone

[*]Electric Boot Lid Controls

• Boot only opens when the car is not in gear.
• Safety backup installed for when the car is in gear. Power disconnects from system stopping any chance of the boot opening while driving just like the suspension
• In demo mode, the boot opens and closes. When the boot is opening and closing, the air suspension is locked out from use until boot closed again
• controlable from main screen, external screen and pda phone/Iphone

[*]Engine Diagnostics

• Will be able to tune the car while driving
• Display engine diagnostics. Oil Temp & pressure, Water temp and Pressure, Fuel Pressure, Boost, etc
• Warning system when any limits are met

Central Locking (Optional)

• Main controls by alarm system
• Alarm overides controls by Car PC
• When Car Alarm is activated, this blocks all signals from carpc to unlock the doors.
• Manual latch still connected to mechanism

Electric Windows

• Push and hold on screen to open/close windows.
• When car is locked the power is disconnected stopping any window controls.

Electric Transmission

• control for gear changes. P-R-N-D-3-2-1
• Limit switches stopping gear changes while car is in motion.
• Can not disengage from park or neutral without the foot on the brake

Electric Handbrake

• Limit switches stopping handbrake engage while car is in motion.
• Can not disengage without the foot on the brake

I have to get back to work now. Ill continue this later

What do u guys think. Is this possible

[WuNgUn]

Very ambitious!! You want to do all this in a year??
I think for the most part, most of this is possible...for a show car. Probably not the most practical for a DD, considering the amount of work it'll take...

I've never heard of electric transmission or handbrake...do you mean maybe control linear motors for the linkage??

And tuning the ECU while driving? Would be nice, but you'd probably have to write your own code to do this, if it's even possible. Maybe an aftermarket engine managment control?

Same goes with the HVAC...some users are developing there own setups...you'd probably need to do the same...PWM, servo motors, etc....

The rest you COULD do with a Fusion Brain (or two!), relays and LOTS of coding...

[XCESIV]

The transmission controls are not going ahead on the PC now. not on the Car PC anyway.

There is a plug and play system that bolts in whic uses actuators to control the transmission.

I have lost the link to the system. I will find that and link.

I know its not a easy task and this is why i wanna get working on it now giving me 10 months to finish it.

I wasnt meanting tune the ECU, but i have heard its very easy to plug the PC into the BCM and get the car stats

The heater and fan controls are very basic. The car doesnt have air cond anymore. Just a basic heater and fan.
2 switches for this,
heater on : yes/no
and
Fan on Yes/No.

I think this is an easy one.
The harder ones are the limitations required for the air suspension and stuff. but once again we can cheat a bit with having a breaker in the transmission so even if the controls are pushed on the pc nothing happens because the transmission is blocking the signal to these devices.

[assault]

You would probably need to use the Phidgets plugin and interface to accomplish controlling things like the heater/fan, air suspension, central locking, windows and boot. I dont know if anyone else is using them to this degree but you might want to read up on it to see if it will be suitable for you. Here's the thread on the pluggin etc:

Phidgets Plugin

[WuNgUn]

Certainly like to see this when it's finished! I just hope it isn't a Civic!

[XCESIV]

Originally Posted by WuNgUn

Certainly like to see this when it's finished! I just hope it isn't a Civic!

LOL.

Its definatly not a civic

Its a Holden Statesman. The car is currently in an intensive rebuild now so not showing too many pics of the build till it is finished, but here are some pics of her 4 years ago before i took it off the road.

[XCESIV]

More pics and next ill post a few current shots

[XCESIV]

Here are some more recent pics.

Top pic is about 2-3 months old now.

[XCESIV]

Short List of mods being performed to the car since i took it off the road

* Supercharged LS1 5.7Litre V8 Conversion
* More Interior work
* more boot work
* Shaved door handles
* Shaved Petrol cap
* Shaved Side Indicators
* Shaved water jets off bonnet
* Custom Billet Grill
* Custom Sheet Metal Engine bay
* Suicide rear Doors
* Hidden Wiring in engine bay
* custom Over Radiator Intake and Filter system
* Custom Radiator
* Lowered Radiotor Supports
* Drive by wire throttle system
* Car Pc Setup
* Front Strut suspension replaced with Double wishbone setup
* Custom air suspension kit
* Detailed undercarrage
* Custom Paint Job

I am going to stop there.

Cant tell you everything.

[assault]

Originally Posted by XCESIV

LOL.

Its definatly not a civic

Its a Holden Statesman.

Or a Pontiac for you guys in the states, a Vauxhall in the UK, and a Opel in Europe