Android-based universal vehicle diagnostic and tracking system

Abstract

This system aims to provide a low-cost means of monitoring a vehicle's performance and tracking by communicating the obtained data to a mobile device via Bluetooth. Then the results can be viewed by the user to monitor fuel consumption and other vital vehicle electromechanical parameters. Data can also be sent to the vehicle's maintenance department which may be used to detect and predict faults in the vehicle. This is done by collecting live readings from the engine control unit (ECU) utilizing the vehicle's built in on-board diagnostics system (OBD). An electronic hardware unit is built to carry-out the interface between the vehicle's OBD system and a Bluetooth module, which in part communicates with an Android-based mobile device. The mobile device is capable of transmitting data to a server using cellular internet connection.