Laptop Instead Of Ecu

[interkool]

Heya, is it possible to use a laptop instead of ecu? If so there would be a hell of a lot of advantages, not to mention it would be cheaper for the equipment and tuning.

Imagine getting a new part installing it, then installing the software that came with the part?

sound possible? I dont know alot about cars so excuse me if its a silleh question.

ta.

[Shaun O]

If you had the knowledge and resources, sure but the main thing here is how would you feel if your $500 laptop-ecu hybrid that you choose to use failed while driving. Imagine all the R&D that has gone into current ECU's and there is a very good reason why they cost so much.

[Revhead]

Interesting idea, but to be honest a dedicated ECU is still the best bet IMHO.

It's designed to do the job, and doesn't have processing overheads like running an operating system (eg Windows, Unix) or background operations that don't directly contribute to the running of the vehicle. Unless the laptop runs full-time, you'd need to wait 10 seconds or more from when you turn the key to the time that things start to work. If data needs to come from the hard drive, there'll be a pause which could be detrimental. You would also need to make your own high-speed interface to send and receive signals on the hundred or so wires going in and out of the computer.

Aftermarket ECUs are already programmable and cheaper than most laptops to buy. Installing software that came with the part is an interesting idea too, though the point of programmable management is that you can tune the fuel and ignition maps to exactly match the characteristics of your engine. The way a certain part affects the optimum tune for your engine depends not just on the part itself, but also on what else is bolted to the engine, the flow characteristics of the intake and exhaust systems, engine wear, etc. Tuning each car individually is still the best way.

Nice idea though

[Konrad]

"Danger to manifold"

[jim8o]

i wanted to play mindsweeper while driving but

[chrissso]

Hey,

I don't think you need a hell of a lot of processing power to run a car. Car ecu's are pretty basic as far as mips and speed, compared to todays technology. There really is not a great deal to it, some sensor inputs, calculations, and timing and injectors to control. Some other thing like idle controller etc. No monitor matrixes, or human language to deal with, all binary input and output. Most advances in car computer are in the software.

Besides, I found a list of issues that might happen if you proceeded...(for a laugh)

1. Every time they repainted the lines on the road, you'd have to buy a new car.

2. Occasionally your car would just die on the motorway for no reason, and you'd have to restart it. For some strange reason, you'd just accept this, restart and drive on.

3. Occasionally, executing a manoeuvre would cause your car to stop and fail to restart and you'd have to re-install the engine. For some strange reason, you'd just accept this too.

4. You could only have one person in the car at a time, unless you bought a "Car 95" or a "Car NT". But then you'd have to buy more seats.

5. Apple would make a car that was powered by the sun, was twice as reliable, five times as fast, twice as easy to drive - but it would only run on five percent of the roads.

6. Macintosh car owners would get expensive Microsoft upgrades to their cars which would make their cars go much slower.

7. The oil, engine, gas and alternator warning lights would be replaced with a single "General Car Fault" warning light.

8. People would get excited about the "new" features in Microsoft cars, forgetting completely that they had been available in other cars for many years.

9. We'd all have to switch to Microsoft gas and all auto fluids but the packaging would be superb.

10. New seats would force everyone to have the same size butt.

11. The airbag system would say "Are you sure?" before going off.

12. If you were involved in a crash, you would have no idea what happened.

13. They wouldn't build their own engines, but form a cartel with their engine suppliers. The latest engine would have 16 cylinders, multi-point fuel injection and 4 turbos, but it would be a side-valve design so you could use Model-T Ford parts on it.

14. There would be an "Engium Pro" with bigger turbos, but it would be slower on most existing roads.

15. Microsoft cars would have a special radio/cassette player which would only be able to listen to Microsoft FM, and play Microsoft Cassettes. Unless of course, you buy the upgrade to use existing stuff.

16. Microsoft would do so well, because even though they don't own any roads, all of the road manufacturers would give away Microsoft cars free, including IBM!

17. If you still ran old versions of car (ie. CarDOS 6.22/CarWIN 3.11), then you would be called old fashioned, but you would be able to drive much faster, and on more roads!

18. If you couldn't afford to buy a new car, then you could just borrow your friends, and then copy it.

19. Whenever you bought a car, you would have to reorganise the ignition for a few days before it worked.

20. You would need to buy an upgrade to run cars on a motorway next to each other.

[Bunta]

8. People would get excited about the "new" features in Microsoft cars, forgetting completely that they had been available in other cars for many years.

Ha ha gold!

Number 8 can also ba applied to holdens

[interkool]

LOL, a few good points.

Of course the program being run via a PC would have no net access so you wont have anything on the laptop other then whats needed. So hopefully no stupid issues. Also the software will take into account what other parts are installed. Would this reduce dyno time by much? never used a dyno before.

Theres idea is more for modifieing cars only. Not trying to sell it to Holden or anything

But perhaps a laptop and an ECU and take away some of the features from the ECU leaving it with things like airbags, ABS and all the regular stuff.

Once i get my car i am really going to look into this. If an ECU can be remapped that means the data can be stored, and then transfered to a laptop anyway.

Another issue would be installing a "legit" version of windows... or maybee do it via linux

these are just ideas people. SO thanks for your input so far.

Edited August 22, 2006 by interkool

[Blitz]

Just make sure that your Dell laptop ECU is running a decent firewall so your fuel maps dont get hacked while you are driving.

[Konrad]

yeah ricers might have slow cars, but since they all work in IT and are savvy with wireless you're screwed - that spiky hair probably helps their haxxor wireless transmitting....

[interkool]

Im starting to think 14 year olds drive skylines for some reason........

[racsov500]

would you really want something unreliable as a laptop computer running your management?

[interkool]

why is it unreliable? an ECU is a computer without a screen, so It isnt much different.

by the way if you disconect the laptop no one can steal your car.

Well i have started to talking to a couple of people about it that can help make this possible. If any one has any helpful ideas, then please PM or add to this Topic.

Thankyou for everything so far.

Edited August 23, 2006 by interkool

[Kinks]

A laptop also has a storage method involving a magnetic head whizzing a few millionths of an inch above a rotating platter. What happens when you hit a couple of solid bumps... your car dies? great! time to call a tow truck.

What interface method do you plan to use between your "laptop ECU" and all the engine sensors?

It's going to cost you more than an aftermarket ECU to make. And it'll be shit. Unless you write your own real-time operating system. Things like injector pulses can't be delayed because windows feels like paging something out to the disk first.

[chrissso]

Yeah, but you can get disk on chip... Solid state. Anyway PC ECU, it's not practical.

I think a good idea would be to have a computer giving you all the readouts on a LCD screen installed somwhere in the car, like the dash, or even above the dash and have it reflect off the screen, like a HUD. The pc would plug into the data port of the ecu. When I was at the tuners, he had a diagnostic program that gave you every readout possible, like speed, temp, o2 sensor voltage, MAF voltage, the works! You could almost get rid of all the dials in the dash and use an LCD. I don't know aboout the warning lights though, the ECU may not control all of them, like high beam for instance... But you could also incorporate other things like a reverse camera. Just an idea.

The problem is that I though of this a while ago, and the mercedes make an s class that already has all of this.

damn Jarmans...

[sigsputnik]

>why is it unreliable? have you used a laptop before? do you realise and ECU is a computer without a screen?

er...many of the electronics we use today are, in vague terms, 'computers without screens' (e.g. microwave, dvd recorder etc). but i would much rather trust a dedicated device to handle my car than a laptop ('specially one running something like XP).

>by the way if you disconect the laptop no one can steal your car.

sure they can. flatbed truck.

[Cubes]

For a laptop to emulate the code contained within the ecu's specialist chips I think you will find the processing power required is considerable.

Very similiar to that of a mobile phone; try to create software that does what the specialised chips do in a mobile phone and you will need a computer half the size of your bonnet.

[Modena]

Windows. Skylines Edition.

Linux. For Skylines.

Mac OS. Skylines.

I really hope your laptop dont crash

[Cubes]

You could chop up an lcd screen for your dash. Would look awesome until the once a day.... BSOD

[sigsputnik]

>you will need a computer half the size of your bonnet.

and we can see how impractical that would be with this scientific demonstration:

we can't even shut the bonnet!