Project by Steve Lubbers, Dayton, OH
This project is a data collection system and diagnostic interface for passenger cars. It plugs into a car’s on-board diagnostics (OBD) port and allows a phone app to read data and faults from your car. It’s an open platform built to connect every car on the planet and modernize the entire transportation industry. It opens access to vehicle data, connectivity, and commerce. It can save users the expense of a Scan Tool or going to a dealership to have them read the fault codes.
The company I’m working with is DIMO (official name: Digital Infrastructure for Moving Objects). DIMO developed the phone app and a convenient device for end users. DIMO calls the device a Macaron.
I’ve helped to expand the capabilities of the Macaron interface. I started by assembling and connecting the components, but the contraption was too fragile for practical in-vehicle testing. Every time I moved it from the bench to a car to run a test, it broke.
You can see my desktop version here. It’s awkward to move and very fragile.
Testing is more fun when I plug the Macaron into an actual car. But that meant moving four components and a bunch of wires from desktop to driveway. Wires got disconnected or broken. It was a pain and a hassle.
After I mounted it on one of the Phase Dock WorkBenches it was much better!
None of the components had mounting holes, or other good ways to mount, hence the old standby – cable ties. It’s functional and sturdy now.
A few details on the components for tech nerds like me:
- The circuit board is the Macaron Data Interface (MDI).
- Below the MDI is an OBD splitter. This connection allows multiple devices to connect to a car’s diagnostic bus.
- To the right is a J-Link In-Circuit debugger for microcontroller to allow reprogramming and debugging of software.
- Slightly hidden by the MDI is an adapter to hook the J-Link to the CPU.
- The device on the left is called an ECU Simulator. It simulates the communications inside of a car. This allows me to do some degree of testing without being connected to an actual automobile. When I connect to a real car this device is not needed.
In the next photo, you can see how I mounted the components using cable ties. None of the components were designed for screw-mount, but they work just fine with the WorkBench.
- I zip-tied the J-Link debugger directly to the WorkBench base.
- The OBD splitter is zip-tied to a Click connector.
- The Macaron connector plugs into the OBD splitter. The connection with the OBD splitter is strong enough to hold the Macaron data interface floating in space.
- The adapter to the J-Link is zip-tied to a Click connector.
