Communicate with car directly?

[Dan203]

Is there any way to send control commands directly to the car via USB or some other hardwired connection? (maybe a USB Ethernet adapter?) I was looking at the REST API and there are commands for almost every function of the car, but from what I understand those have to go over the internet to Tesla's servers and then down to the car via LTE. Is there any way to just communicate with the car directly?

One thing I don't like about car is that the seat heaters in the back seat have no way to be controlled by the passengers in those seats, you can only do it from the screen. I was thinking about setting up a Pi buttons or maybe tablet back there so the passengers can control their own seats. But if the only way to send the command is via the internet then that means whatever device I use would need to have it's own LTE connection, which is a less than an ideal solution. Would be nicer if there was a way to send commands directly to the car via some sort of wired connection.

 

[Dan203]

Are there any Tesla hacker forums out there that might know more about this kind of thing?

 

[jmaddr]

Setup auto-join hotspot on your phone?

 

[leeeeee]

Bluetooth to send message to your phone for forwarding to late?

 

[leeeeee]

LTE that is

 

[jjrandorin]

Is there any way to send control commands directly to the car via USB or some other hardwired connection? (maybe a USB Ethernet adapter?) I was looking at the REST API and there are commands for almost every function of the car, but from what I understand those have to go over the internet to Tesla's servers and then down to the car via LTE. Is there any way to just communicate with the car directly?

One thing I don't like about car is that the seat heaters in the back seat have no way to be controlled by the passengers in those seats, you can only do it from the screen. I was thinking about setting up a Pi buttons or maybe tablet back there so the passengers can control their own seats. But if the only way to send the command is via the internet then that means whatever device I use would need to have it's own LTE connection, which is a less than an ideal solution. Would be nicer if there was a way to send commands directly to the car via some sort of wired connection.

I thought you leased (are leasing) your car?

 

[Dan203]

I thought you leased (are leasing) your car?

I am, so no permanent modification. Was hoping there was a way to send commands similar to REST API over the USB ports or via Bluetooth.

I could use a LTE enabled arduino or pi but that's going to require a monthly data plan and could potentially fail if there is a bad connection.

 

[JasonR67]

Is there any way to send control commands directly to the car via USB or some other hardwired connection? (maybe a USB Ethernet adapter?) I was looking at the REST API and there are commands for almost every function of the car, but from what I understand those have to go over the internet to Tesla's servers and then down to the car via LTE. Is there any way to just communicate with the car directly?

One thing I don't like about car is that the seat heaters in the back seat have no way to be controlled by the passengers in those seats, you can only do it from the screen. I was thinking about setting up a Pi buttons or maybe tablet back there so the passengers can control their own seats. But if the only way to send the command is via the internet then that means whatever device I use would need to have it's own LTE connection, which is a less than an ideal solution. Would be nicer if there was a way to send commands directly to the car via some sort of wired connection.

I had hoped someone would reply with a forum for API hacking..

I think this is a great / interesting idea. I do Pi / some hardware stuff on the side and have been thinking about an external usage display. But back seat controls would be nice as well (also the ability to turn off the back seat fan, my son is always cold).

I wonder if V10 is going to change any of this.. new / different API, hot spot, etc..

If you find / start a hacker board for the API count me in!

 

[Dan203]

I found some stuff that might work for this. There is an Arduino maker board that includes LTE. There is a company called Hologram.io that offers LTE sims for low data iot applications for 100mb/mo free, then just $0.60/mb after that. Since these would essentially just require a few bytes to be transmitted via http for each call to the API seems like it might be easy to stay under the 100mb limit. Only thing that concerns me is reliability. Having hard buttons that can't reliably control the seats would be confusing to the user. But if it worked you could make something pretty slick with a 3D printer that fits right into the rear USB ports and gives passenger control of the seats.

The other idea I had was creating a website/app that could give limited control to passengers via their phone. Basically a proxy between the Tesla API and a user that had to be approved by the owner and could be used without the user actually knowing the owners username/password. Since it would only expose simple controls for the seats and maybe the vent it wouldn't really be a security risk. I could even maybe use GPS to ensure the user was at least near the car before it would allow the functionality to be used.

The app/website idea is more in my wheelhouse but not as user friendly. Especially for someone like my Mom who can barely operate her phone.

 

[JasonR67]

Your mom can use voice control....

"Dan, can you turn my seat warmer on?"

 

[drtimhill]

Is there any way to send control commands directly to the car via USB or some other hardwired connection? (maybe a USB Ethernet adapter?) I was looking at the REST API and there are commands for almost every function of the car, but from what I understand those have to go over the internet to Tesla's servers and then down to the car via LTE. Is there any way to just communicate with the car directly?

One thing I don't like about car is that the seat heaters in the back seat have no way to be controlled by the passengers in those seats, you can only do it from the screen. I was thinking about setting up a Pi buttons or maybe tablet back there so the passengers can control their own seats. But if the only way to send the command is via the internet then that means whatever device I use would need to have it's own LTE connection, which is a less than an ideal solution. Would be nicer if there was a way to send commands directly to the car via some sort of wired connection.

Um, your rear passengers lean forward a little and say "could you turn on the rear seat heater?" to the driver.

Seems a little simpler than a tablet communicating to Tesla HQ and then using an API to communicate back to the car via LTE ?

 

[Dan203]

Um, your rear passengers lean forward a little and say "could you turn on the rear seat heater?" to the driver.

Seems a little simpler than a tablet communicating to Tesla HQ and then using an API to communicate back to the car via LTE ?

My original hole was that there was some way to send commands directly to the car via USB, or some other hardwired system. That way I didn’t need LTE, just some buttons wired to a small chip, like an Arduino, sending commands to the car via wire.

I have another idea I'm investigating though. I'll post more if it pans out.

 

[darth_vad3r]

Why can’t the back seat passengers just use the app to control the seat heaters?

 

[darth_vad3r]

Is there any way to send control commands directly to the car via USB or some other hardwired connection? (maybe a USB Ethernet adapter?) I was looking at the REST API and there are commands for almost every function of the car, but from what I understand those have to go over the internet to Tesla's servers and then down to the car via LTE. Is there any way to just communicate with the car directly?

One thing I don't like about car is that the seat heaters in the back seat have no way to be controlled by the passengers in those seats, you can only do it from the screen. I was thinking about setting up a Pi buttons or maybe tablet back there so the passengers can control their own seats. But if the only way to send the command is via the internet then that means whatever device I use would need to have it's own LTE connection, which is a less than an ideal solution. Would be nicer if there was a way to send commands directly to the car via some sort of wired connection.

AFAIK, the only direct-to-car communication is via Bluetooth and only for door locks and trunk actuators. And summon too I guess... Everything else is through the API.

If you don’t want to (1) let the backseat passenger have the app on their phone, you could (2) lend them your phone while you are driving. Or (3) you could have a 2nd phone or tablet with the app available for the back seat with the app on it. Or (4) you could setup an app on your phone to receive a request from some Pi button you install and then convert that into an API request. That seems more complicated than necessary though

 

[darth_vad3r]

Oh, (5) you could install a shortcut on their phone to only affect the seat heaters. You’d have to share a token with their device to do that, but if they aren’t tech savvy they won’t be able to dig in to the source and extract the token for any nefarious purpose. The tokens expire as well, so you’d have to refresh it. Likewise they are revocable so you can make them invalid whenever you want.

It would basically be like a mini app with 3 buttons for the three seat heaters.

 

[Dan203]

Why can’t the back seat passengers just use the app to control the seat heaters?

Wouldn’t you need to give them access to your account including your password?

 

[darth_vad3r]

Wouldn’t you need to give them access to your account including your password?

Just log in for them? If you trust them in your back seat and trust them to be able to use the app, there’s not much trouble they can cause you other than flashing your lights, honking your horn, and unlocking your doors when you don’t want them to.

On the plus side, when you lose your wallet and phone and can’t get into the car you can call them and ask them to unlock it for you.

Password is required every time you want to use the app to “start” the car, unless you approve TouchID or FaceID use via password in the app.

Also note that the device with the app on it does not automatically become a “key” unless you set it up to be one in the car.

 

[justsomeguy]

Just log in for them? If you trust them in your back seat and trust them to be able to use the app, there’s not much trouble they can cause you other than flashing your lights, honking your horn, and unlocking your doors when you don’t want them to.

On the plus side, when you lose your wallet and phone and can’t get into the car you can call them and ask them to unlock it for you.

Password is required every time you want to use the app to “start” the car, unless you approve TouchID or FaceID use via password in the app.

Also note that the device with the app on it does not automatically become a “key” unless you set it up to be one in the car.

This is a joke right?

 

[darth_vad3r]

This is a joke right?

What part of it sounds like a joke? I’d install the Tesla app and log into it for my mom on her phone for her to use in the back seat, wouldn’t you?

 

[justsomeguy]

What part of it sounds like a joke? I’d install the Tesla app and log into it for my mom on her phone for her to use in the back seat, wouldn’t you?

Your coworkers?
Your friends?
Friends of friends?
Children?
Business clients?

Mostly the part about equating trusting someone sitting in your backseat to trusting them with full access to your vehicle.