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ESP32 SmartCar
- Author: Andrei Tulpan
- Email: andrei.tulpan@stud.acs.pub.ro
- Master: SRIC
Introduction
SmartCar is an innovative hardware-software solution designed to bring modern vehicle intelligence to any car, especially the old ones. By plugging a compact, futuristic OBD-II device into the car’s diagnostic port, SmartCar captures real-time data from the vehicle’s CAN network and integrates WIFI connectivity to transmit insights to a secure cloud-based backend. The companion mobile app gives users instant access to detailed insights about their car’s health, fuel consumption, driving habits, trip history, and more-all in an intuitive interface.
Context
A smart car telemetry and diagnostics system for ESP32, featuring CAN bus data acquisition, BLE and WiFi connectivity, OTA updates, and Firebase integration.
Features
- CAN Bus Support: Reads vehicle data via MCP2515 CAN controller.
- BLE Communication: Allows configuration and commands via Bluetooth Low Energy.
- WiFi Connectivity: Connects to WiFi for cloud integration.
- Firebase Integration: Sends sensor and log data to Firebase Realtime Database.
- OTA Updates: Supports over-the-air firmware updates.
- EEPROM Storage: Stores WiFi credentials and settings persistently.
- Logging: Flexible logging system with optional Firebase upload.
Usage
- On first boot, use BLE to send WiFi credentials (`WIFI,<SSID>,<PASSWORD>`).
- The device will connect to WiFi, sync time via NTP, and start sending CAN data to Firebase.
- For further configuration hold the button for 3 seconds to enable BLE.
Commands (via BLE)
- `WIFI,<SSID>,<PASSWORD>`: Set WiFi credentials.
- `CLEAR_EEPROM`: Clear stored credentials.
- `DISABLE_BLE`: Disable BLE interface.
Customization (via UI)
- CAN PIDs: Configure supported PIDs.
- REQUEST INTERVAL: Configure the request interval for CAN network.
- THRESHOLD: COnfigure the response threshold for the CAN network.
- Logging: Enable or disable log upload via a button.
Hardware
Components
- ESP32 development board
- MCP2515 CAN bus module
- Button
- LED
- OBD II Port
- Power Switch
- DC-to-DC Hi-Link (9-36V to 5V)
| Function | ESP32 Pin | Description |
| Button | GPIO 3 | BLE button |
| LED | GPIO 2 | Status indicator |
| CAN CS (MCP2515) | GPIO 5 | SPI Chip Select for CAN |
| SPI MOSI | GPIO 23 | SPI Master Out Slave In |
| SPI MISO | GPIO 19 | SPI Master In Slave Out |
| SPI SCK | GPIO 18 | SPI Clock |
| SPI INT (MCP2515) | GPIO 4 | MCP2515 Interrupt |
Software
The SmartCar project integrates modern web technologies with embedded systems to turn any car into a smart one.
🖥️ Frontend
- Vite – Lightning-fast frontend tooling
- TypeScript – Strong typing for scalable codebases
- React – Component-based UI framework
- shadcn/ui – Accessible and elegant UI components
- Tailwind CSS – Utility-first CSS framework for fast styling
☁️ Backend
- Firebase – Real-time database, user authentication, and cloud hosting
📟 Embedded Software (ESP32)
Developed using the Arduino Framework, with the following libraries:
- [`jandrassy/TelnetStream@^1.3.0`](https://github.com/jandrassy/TelnetStream) – Telnet-based debugging and serial stream
- [`mobizt/Firebase Arduino Client Library for ESP8266 and ESP32@^4.4.17`](https://github.com/mobizt/Firebase-ESP-Client) – Interface for Firebase Realtime Database
- [`mobizt/FirebaseJson@^3.0.9`](https://github.com/mobizt/FirebaseJson) – Lightweight JSON handler for embedded devices
- [`coryjfowler/mcp_can@^1.5.1`](https://github.com/coryjfowler/MCP_CAN_lib) – MCP2515 CAN bus interface library for OBD-II data access
Challenges
References
