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Car hackers enter here


Mallard

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I am looking for a reasonably priced car hacking device and I can't seem to find much info via Google, and I'm wondering if anyone on here has seen any products out there.

 

I'm looking for a CAN gateway with programmable logic that would allow me to modify existing CAN messages, preferably with available PID controllers.

 

I have seen an Arduino-based device in some articles that a few guys developed and used to have a car for $26, but I haven't found any technical info or if it's available for purchase.

http://jalopnik.com/hackers-can-take-over-your-car-with-this-simple-26-dev-1519896807

 

I don't have the budget for a MicroAutoBox/Matlab/Simulink, but need something off - the- shelf.

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Ok, so after some more research I see there are CAN interfaces for Arduino and RasPi. I know there are several people on this board who are into hobby electronics and may have worked with Arduino. I'm not a programmer, but I know there are a lot of open source applications out there.

 

Can anyone point me in a direction?

 

Essentially, I want a module that can act as a gateway between 3 different modules. I need to pass through all but 2 messages, which I need to modify.

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I assume it's a hobby project and not work since your ruling MicroAutoBox out due to cost.

If so (I don't want to ask you to divulge work info, mutual professional respect and all) curious about what you are doing?

 

I assume you are trying to put some parts in a car from a slightly different variant or year and the message structure slightly changed over time/variants.

 

I've had this idea rattling around in my head, that the automotive modification community needs this kind of solution due to the proliferation of CAN (or something simliar) communication from ECU-ECU for pretty much all info exchange. What happens if I want to put a different engine/ECU into a car. It would be great to have a CAN transceiver that can easily (from a GUI standpoint) and relatively inexpensively modify signals both ways to make the expected info on both sides correct.

 

The only big issue I see for a hobbyist is knowing the CAN.dbc on both sides. I can tell you from experience it's a tedious PITA to reverse engineer CAN.dbc's from scratch. A solution like this might be better suited to aftermarket shops making engine swaps kits, but could still be used by a hobbyist with way too much time on their hands.

 

Another idea flowing from the above issue, of CAN.dbc's I've had running around in my head is an 'open source' forum where you can share CAN message info that you've found to help reduce redundant work. Of course I'm not going to and can't share info about my CAN bus, and you can't about your's. But there is no reason I can see why I can't share info I've discovered about your's and you about mine. ;)

 

I'll ask around at work to the Elec side guys and see if they have any good ideas.

 

I'm sure you have some people at work you can tap for info on the CAN message side, and programming side. I've never used Arduino, et al. before, but I'm sure I could help/guide you on both of those fronts if needed.

 

Do none of your cars use CAN gateways? You could just get your guys that work in that area to properly program on of those for you? <~ Again, I don't want you to actually answer this since that's info that I don't need to and shouldn't know from you, just a rhetorical question.

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Chrysler engineer... owns all GM vehicles lol

Only been at Chrysler for a year and had the cars before I changed jobs. Even so, I feel we have only recently started building cars that I would buy myself, and they're only getting better. If my wife wouldn't bitch at me about gas mileage I would buy a Durango or Grand Cherokee right now. My Equinox is almost paid off so I'll probably drive it I to the ground though.

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Jesse, you're on to essentially what I am doing, however it is for a side project of my own. I do have access to all the CAN database information, so no reverse engineering for me. I just need a method of filtering and modifying signals on the network between multiple devices. I know the commercial tools that are out there, but they are obviously beyond my budget and I can't exactly "borrow" a dSpace MicroAutoBox and Simulink license without getting a bunch of questions.

 

I'm not a programmer, so I need to find out how good some of the open source stuff is. I see guys using the Arduino for scan gauges, scan tools, and sending messages on the bus (but these are typically on/off switches, like windows etc.)

 

I need to find more info about OpenCAN and what off-the-shelf support there is for CAN with Arduino. From everything I have read, it should be possible. But the GUI's may be lacking in some areas.

 

As I learn more I will keep this updated for people who would like to do things similar. However I will continue to be vague in the specifics of my implementation.

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Only been at Chrysler for a year and had the cars before I changed jobs. Even so, I feel we have only recently started building cars that I would buy myself, and they're only getting better. If my wife wouldn't bitch at me about gas mileage I would buy a Durango or Grand Cherokee right now. My Equinox is almost paid off so I'll probably drive it I to the ground though.

 

Get a Renegade when it comes out :megusta:

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I've never done it before, but one of our elec/communication gurus said to use a PIC Micro. They cost something like $10, and may have a CAN transceiver built into them. If they don't, you can add one outside of the micro for a few more dollars. Supposed to be programmable in Simulink, so crazy easy to program. I don't know the details of compiling that program to run on the PIC micro, but from the little bit of reading I've done there are open source compilers out there for the PIC Micro, so maybe one works with Simulink somehow.

 

http://www.microchip.com/pagehandler/en-us/products/picmicrocontrollers

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Thanks!

 

Looking at those and Arduino, they both have CAN support and should be relatively easily programmed (although I need to learn most of this).

 

I am starting to look into open source Simulink solutions. It seems there are several out there, but all don't offer the same capability.

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