Over the past few decades, all technological improvements in automobiles have led to the emergence of cars and trucks, which seemed incredible to anyone who drove a Ford Pinto in the 1970s. Due to factors such as collision avoidance zones, anti-lock brakes, airbags and mandatory use of seat belts, cars are not only safer, but they also have various sensors, user interfaces and computers that can also improve the driving experience. At least, until it starts to wear out.The electronic technology in our modern cars is difficult to replace, but [Aravind] At least able Replace part of the dashboard On his aging (but still modern) Skoda, and improve it in the process.
The central part of the dashboard of these cars often has problems, including the LCD display. If replacement parts can be found, their cost is often a large part of the value of the car, which is uneconomical for most people. [Aravind] It was found that once the old screen was removed, the 3.5-inch color LCD that was already available was perfect for the space, so the next step was to connect it to the car. They have a CAN bus separated from the main control CAN bus, and the ports are easy to access, so they get an Arduino with RTC to handle the heavy work of interfacing with them.
Now, [Aravind] There is a new LCD screen in the console, which is fully programmable and may last longer than the factory LCD. There is also a complete process document on the project page, suitable for anyone else who owns a car adjacent to Volkswagen in this era. Either way, replacing the module is a more economical method than paying the huge cost of OEM replacement parts. Of course, CAN bus hackers like this usually complete more gateway projects involving CAN bus projects, such as turning the entire vehicle into a video game controller.