Communicating with the car management requires a cable (or optionally a virtual cable such as a Bluetooth connection) and, of course, a computer. However, there are a few concepts to understand that may help with general understanding of what's happening and the purchase of equipment.
Communication between a computer and a car requires a whole range of things to be compatible. It starts with the function of each pin on the connector, includes voltage and timing of signals through to the more human understandable commands and response codes. For example, the most basic part of the standard, but non the less important, is the physical design of the plug. A standard computer doesn't have one of these so that demands some form of physical adaptor.
Unfortunately, there are a number of different standards in use by car manufacturers that affect the operation of the interface. Fortunately, the connector specification is the same but to work out the rest requires an intelligent piece of electronics to mediate between the car and computer. Shown below is a device I purchased to do the job. But more on this next!
Communication between a computer and a car requires a whole range of things to be compatible. It starts with the function of each pin on the connector, includes voltage and timing of signals through to the more human understandable commands and response codes. For example, the most basic part of the standard, but non the less important, is the physical design of the plug. A standard computer doesn't have one of these so that demands some form of physical adaptor.
Unfortunately, there are a number of different standards in use by car manufacturers that affect the operation of the interface. Fortunately, the connector specification is the same but to work out the rest requires an intelligent piece of electronics to mediate between the car and computer. Shown below is a device I purchased to do the job. But more on this next!
