Testers wanted: connecting your AC to a google calendar

[tbee]

Two months ago I got my first Tesla (Model S) and with winter approaching I tried to set a schedule for activating its AC in the morning, only to find out it was not possible. Being a software engineer I was easily able to fix that for myself, by using a Google Calendar to start and stop the AC.

This works just great for me, but I figure more people would like to have that. So I've created a setup (christened TeslaTasks) where I can handle more cars with the same logic. Right now I could use some testers to work out the kinks. But strangely I do not know that many people who own a Tesla ;-)

As a heads up: turning on the AC in your car will require entering your Tesla username and password, since I need to access the unofficial Tesla API. Just like VisibleTesla does.

Let me know if you are interested to help me test.

 

[tbee]

Let me add a little bit of explanation of how the software works;

• you create a special 'Tesla' Google calendar,
• TeslaTasks monitors this Calendar every 3 minutes,
• if it finds the start of an appointment, it will call the Tesla API to start your AC.

This means that if you need to leave at, say, 8 am, you can have an appointment in the Tesla calendar from 7:30 to 8 am, so your car and battery pack are defrosted and preheated when you leave.

 

[Mod3forMe]

Very cool idea. I would love this.

 

[tbee]

Hey Mod3forMe, drop me an email at [email protected] and I'll get you set up.

 

[JohnnyG]

I would be very interested in testing this. I have a unique schedule, so this would be very interesting to try.

On another note, if you really want to get the crowds going, do the same thing for charging the battery. One of the biggest gripes is that we can't set a start time remotely, or on a schedule, or set a stop time at all.

 

[David99]

I would be very interested in testing this. I have a unique schedule, so this would be very interesting to try.

On another note, if you really want to get the crowds going, do the same thing for charging the battery. One of the biggest gripes is that we can't set a start time remotely, or on a schedule, or set a stop time at all.

'Dashboard for Tesla' can do that. Very sophisticated charging options. It automatically determines when to start charging based on the time you have to leave and what the state of charge your car is at. It does a lot of other things. I use it more than the Tesla app.

 

[skitown]

'Dashboard for Tesla' can do that. Very sophisticated charging options. It automatically determines when to start charging based on the time you have to leave and what the state of charge your car is at. It does a lot of other things. I use it more than the Tesla app.

I don’t see an app by that name in the iOS App Store. Is it Android only or a different name by chance?

 

[tbee]

There is a reason why I called this 'TeslaTasks', so charging certain can be the next step, but first I need to get a good feeling on that my implementation is stable enough. It works for me, but being the developer I'm not the best tester.

I feel using Google Calendar is a very convenient user interface; you can see the things you make your Tesla do in association with your other appointments. As said, drop me an email.

 

[David99]

There is a reason why I called this 'TeslaTasks', so charging certain can be the next step, but first I need to get a good feeling on that my implementation is stable enough. It works for me, but being the developer I'm not the best tester.

I feel using Google Calendar is a very convenient user interface; you can see the things you make your Tesla do in association with your other appointments. As said, drop me an email.

I'm definitely interested! I use Google calendar all the time.

 

[David99]

I don’t see an app by that name in the iOS App Store. Is it Android only or a different name by chance?

Android only because Apple doesn't allow apps to continue to run in the background. iOS kills the app eventually and there is no option to exclude an app. Android allows it.

 

[JohnnyG]

One more thing... You will most likely draw way more testers, if you enable the ability to enter an access token, as opposed to the Tesla Username / Password.

 

[tbee]

I'm definitely interested! I use Google calendar all the time.

Hey David, drop me an email at [email protected], and I'll get you setup.

 

[tbee]

One more thing... You will most likely draw way more testers, if you enable the ability to enter an access token, as opposed to the Tesla Username / Password.

Yes. I understood that that is an option. I thought the OAuth2 token had a limited lifetime, so I needed to obtain a new one every time. But apparently not, so I'll add that to the code (once the glass fiber is repaired my gardener dug through :-/ ). This is exactly why I put it out there.

 

[tbee]

Hmmm. A token would still give full access to the API, and the ability to unlock the doors, but it would not allow overriding the pin. It would be great if Tesla would allow users to grant permissions to a token.

 

[JohnnyG]

Hmmm. A token would still give full access to the API, and the ability to unlock the doors, but it would not allow overriding the pin. It would be great if Tesla would allow users to grant permissions to a token.

Yea, the token still gives plenty of access, but it's the only way of limiting at least a tad bit, that I know of. I agree, it would be great if Tesla allowed us to set permissions per token. Of course, it would be great if they would publish an API and an SDK too!

At least tt prevents someone from logging into your online Tesla account. Even more importantly, it prevents someone from logging into the Tesla App as you, and driving away with your car. And like you mentioned, it also prevents resetting any of the PINs.

 

[JohnnyG]

Yes. I understood that that is an option. I thought the OAuth2 token had a limited lifetime, so I needed to obtain a new one every time. But apparently not, so I'll add that to the code (once the glass fiber is repaired my gardener dug through :-/ ). This is exactly why I put it out there.

Ugh... Were they able to come out in a reasonable amount of time to repair your fiber? It always bothers me that they don't bury the cable deeper than they normally do. I had the same thing happen with my coax, even after marking it for the landscapers.

 

[tbee]

Yes, the fiber was fixed pretty quickly, except for TV. Weird.

Anyhow, I've got the backend on token now, curious if that will keep working. Tokens usually have a limited time span, so I'm wondering if it only works if it is kept alive by logging in every so often. I'm not doing that, I only login if the calendar gives me a reason. Time will tell. If that is the case then I should write a heartbeat thread.

On to the frontend.

 

[tbee]

New versions supporting a token instead of a password are available.

 

[tbee]

An app version of TeslaTasks is available for open beta test in the Google Play Store. The iPhone version is being worked on.

 

[Langhorne]

Downloaded the android app. On my phone, the "paste" functionality is not available, so can't paste the token in...?