Glennji's Jeep
- Owner: User:Glennji
- Make: Jeep
- Model: Cherokee
- Type: KJ Limited
- Year: 2002
- Transmission: Automatic
- Engine: V6
The Car
It's an '02 Jeep Cherokee (KJ), black with leather-trim and too many gadgets for a car with a reputation for dodgy electrics -- power windows, electric seats, a CD stacker and VFD (display) in the centre above the windscreen. My first car! (I have admittedly owned -- and broken -- two motorcycles. Hopefully 4WD'ing will be kinder.)
The petrol-guzzling V6 makes a dent in the wallet every 400-and-something klicks, but at least it has some get up and go -- sure, the CRD (diesel) has more torque, but where's the dignity in crawling across the line when the lights change? For someone used to the near-instant "twist, pray, fly" of a Kawasaki Ninja, the V6 is an expensive but decent compromise.
Of course, if I could just get the purchase order approved for a Ducati SC1000R...
Jeep Cherokee (Liberty) on Wikipedia
The Plan
As a Java developer and love-you-longtime Linux otaku, I've naturally dabbled in a little Android coding. Google's opensource OS for mobiles (and now tablets) features a honest-to-FSM Linux kernel, real multitasking and a Java-based platform. Better yet, a few cheap Android-based tablets are finally beginning to appear.
What I want to do is get a cheap (~$150) Android tablet, integrate it into the dash and write some code.
Hardware would thus be:
- Cheap hackable Android tablet (with USB host)
- OBDII connector (USB or bluetooth)
- GPS (built-in or USB)
- Wifi (built-in)
- 3G (built-in or USB)
- Bluetooth (built-in)
- Radio?
- CB-radio?
- Something to implement the steering-wheel controls? Arduino?
- Reversing camera? (webcam?)
- iPod dock? (Doesn't everything have an iPod dock these days?)
Some of the cool stuff I could do:
- Media player
- Telemetry (ODBII & accelerometer)
- Car stereo with integrated hands-free:
- Automatic pause media on incoming call
- TTS to read out messages from selected contacts
- VOIP-over-3G, just to p*ss off the telcos...
- Context- and location-sensitive stuff:
- petrol station recommendations ("I think you need fuel, Dave")
- Automatic notifications via SMS, IM, email ("On my way!")
- Home-automation integration: garage door
- War-driving and stompboxing
- Theft-avoidance/reporting with camera and kill-switch ("lowjack")
- ... more?
The Build
(Nothing yet!)
