iPad mini in-dash install
#226
mortarman120
#228
Senior Member
Hey guys. I got linked here from Hackaday (Yes, I read all 22 pages). I'm not a Ford truck owner, but I am a vehicle automation enthusiast and am seeking to do an iPad mini install as well. I wanted to let you guys know that there may be hope for you who own the limited model with the built-in screen. There was a hack posted recently showing how a guy got a Whistler radar detector to display info on his vehicle's built-in displays. Now, I know that you guys want to do the opposite and be able to control your vehicle's HVAC and other systems from another device. With the right hardware, this is entirely possible. You need to interface with your truck's CAN bus, which is the same bus that takes input from your window buttons and essentially everything else you push to make something happen. With an iPad connected via bluetooth to an Arduino or other microcontroller, either a webpage or a purpose-developed iOS app would be able to control anything in your car that uses the CAN bus. I don't know the extent of Ford's implementation of devices on the CAN bus, or even if the Limited's built-in screen sends messages on it, but this is the place to start. Just to be clear, this is a lot of work that requires a lot of expensive bench equipment. It would take development by a dedicated person or people to make happen, but it is possible.
Hope this helped. You guys have given me ideas on things to do in my own car.
http://phzero.net/?q=whistler
Hope this helped. You guys have given me ideas on things to do in my own car.
http://phzero.net/?q=whistler
#230
mortarman120