Easiest way to connect to ODB2 car network?

Hi all. I have recently started playing with a ODB2 bluetooth adapter and android mobile. It works well but obviously I would like to be able to connect a arduino somehow :wink:

I have found a few results around the net, but can't find much on the hardware side of things?

What is the easiest way to start, hacking a can to bluetooth adapter maybe?

Since you already have an OBD bluetooth adapter that plugs into your car why not just keep using that and find another bluetooth module so the Arduino can talk to it?

Try this: open up (or look inside) your OBD bluetooth adapter and make note of the board that is soldered onto that adapter's circuit board; that's the bluetooth module. Then go on eBay and look for cheap bluetooth modules. I think they all use those same, cheap, bluetooth modules for communication.

Hi good idea, but I'm not sure about using bluetooth in the long run, I was kind of thinking that I could make something very cheaply using a ODB to USB adapter connected directly to a 328p?

I was kind of thinking that I could make something very cheaply using a ODB to USB adapter connected directly to a 328p?

The ODB to USB adapter is a slave. The Arduino is a slave. With no master around, slaves sit around and drink beer all day.

Adding a USB Host shield will up the price, but it will get the slaves up off their butts doing something. Of course, you need to write the driver software to make that happen.

I read somewhere that the USB units use a PIC and a FTDI chip or similar, so surely I could just buy pass the FTDI chip and connect the PIC serial to arduinio?

They do. And I have 2. I forget the company name, but I read somewhere that you could get free samples of chips. I emailed them and explained what I wanted to do (similar to what you describe), and 2 weeks later, I got 2 28 pin PICs in the mail. I'll find the name and pass it on to you.

You're probably thinking of the ELM327 which is built on a 28 pin PIC. http://elmelectronics.com/obdic.html

Here is the easiest way to give Arduino data access as well as power supply from OBD-II port.
http://www.arduinodev.com/hardware/obd-kit/