Anyone have this unit?

http://www.autoenginuity.com/index.html

Enhanced for BMW/MINI:

Enhanced interface for BMW 1996-2006 and MINI 2001-2006 (Aug 24th)2

Our enhanced BMW interface supports hundreds of sensors and bi-directional controls selected from the engine (DME), transmission (EGS), ABS (MK20-MK60), airbags, and body systems. Coverage includes the popular E36, E39, E46, E90, X3/X5, Z3/Z4, and M3/M5 to name a few.
Service Functions:

• Reset Airbag Light
• Reset Oil Service Light
• Reset Service Interval (Distance and Time)
• Reset DME and EGS Adaptions

http://www.autoenginuity.com/products-software.html

If I'm not mistaken, I think it's the only unit that works on Pocket PC's (not Palm OS).

If anyone has any experience with this product, even not on the MINI, kindly share. Thanks!

 

I have the standard version. I like it a lot. I use a palm os, so the enhanced mini version won't do me any good. Maybe I will get it in the PC version. $59 upgrade is not to bad a price.

 

I have the basic AutoEnginuity system running on a laptop. I like it! You can run around with it in the car while you are driving and see what the car is doing. I have had it for 6 months or so and have used it about half a dozen times on various vehicles including my MINI.

It looks like the new one will be even better. I wonder if they will upgrade me for free?

Good Luck,
Mike

 

this is a new one on me, but it all sounds good. This is a lot of the features of BiM-COM, so maybe there are solutions now that weren't available before...

And sorry I didn't respond to your PM, it's been a busy weekend....

But the long and the short of any OBD-II solution is

1) Data rates are limited by the specification of the serial interface on the car, not the laptop, PDA or whatever.

2) All of them support the standard sensors and codes (less than 1000?), but not all support the manufacturer specific codes (numbers above 1000) or manufacturer specific subsystems (like ABS, air bags etc). It's easy to find solutions that covered the extended codes for the domestics, but this is the first time I've heard of the BMW manufacturers codes being supported in something like this.

3) All will need some physicial interface. The logic levels etc on the OBD-II side are different than on the serial port, so something needs to be between the PDA/Laptop and the car. There are three or four interfaces out there, so you need to buy one that covers them all (most do) or make sure that the interface standards are compatible (only an issue on very inexpensive products....)

4) In a year or two CAN will be the standard for the interface (think much faster data rates) so you may want to buy one with CAN, or get one that has lower cost upgrade paths.

Those are the big issues that you have to look for. Little issues are things like cableing (one I did with a Palm and low cost interface had so many connectors and cables that it wasn't too workable.... Something always came loose), location (the PDAs can be held in nice holders near the downtubes or something like that, laptops are bigger but can display more at once), and platform compatibility (like Win CE, Palm or laptops. Linux anyone?).

Also, before you buy, check eBay. A lot of sellers move stuff like this at 20% off retail or so...

Matt

 

Guys, thanks for the input!

Looks like the HP that I've been waiting for will be available, in the US, fairly soon:

http://www.mobilewhack.com/reviews/h...e_us_soon.html

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/HP-iPAQ-hw6915.htm

HP's UK page:

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/uk/en...-12343242.html

Highly robust...

Matt, when it's time to order, I might ping you on the pariticulars, to make sure that I'm getting what I think, namely the future CAN uprade option. Here is the order page:

http://www.autoenginuity.com/order.html

Thanks everyone.

 

Autenginuity has built in can support. I use mine with PalmOs and a bluetooth interface. I see the Palm version doesn't support BMW enhanced version. Don't know if it will be available later.

 

asodestrom - simply call or email them. They were prompt with a response when I emailed them...

I'm really excited about getting this unit!

That HP iPaq 6915 that I mentioned above will do so much: cell phone (quad band), PDA, MP3 player, camera, Windows, built-in wireless, and GPS (finally a good one!)... and with this AutoE, a pretty slick data-logger & scan tool to boot.

The 6915 is not available yet though...

 

I'd be more intersted in picking up the BMW/MINI sensor upgrade thingy if it didn't cost almost as much as the software itself. I think BMW is to blame for that one though. I imagine they wanted quite alot to license the data.

 

Have a link to what you are referring to? If it does performance data-logging, I'd want to learn more...

 

www.AutoEnginuity.com
The software for just straight up OBDII stuff is $250 with a cable. They also offer a Bluetooth option so you don't have a cable draped all over the place.

 

Oh, you are talking the AutoE still... I understand now. Having had cables stretched around, I do like the Bluetooth option!

 

Cool, this looks very interesting.

 

I have the AutoEnginuity for PC with out the BMW/MINI software. I have hooked it up a few times and I have no idea if I'm in the normal range of how things should be.

Once I have more time to spend with it I think it will be an invaluable tool.

I just want to know why I am averaging only 19-20 mpg (combined) in north side of Chicago area driving no matter how heavy or light my foot is.

I have an 05 MCS w/WMS pulley/HDI/IK22s with about 10,800 miles.

 

Soooo has anyone purchased and used the BMW expansion? Is it as cool as they say it is?

 

BTW, AutoEnginuity says that the enhanced BMW/MINI codes won't work with the BT interface.

 

Although I no longer have my MINI, I purchased the interface for my 325 and X3 that I have. I haven't had time to mess with it too much, but it seems to work well. It gave me the fault codes that has cause my X3's airbag light to come on. When I took it to the dealer they were completely surprised that I had the correct codes before coming in.

 

I have this scan software and the Mazda specific sensor package, and frankly, the regular OBD II stuff is probably enough, I haven't really used the mazda specific stuff at all, and don't plan on purchasing the BMW expansion pack, at least I don't think so. Sure, its cool to see what all your various auxillary systems are doing, what the tire pressure monitors are reading and all that random stuff, but how useful is it really, unless you have an electrical problem? The main thing I want to start doing more with mine is use the datalogging, just basic speed datalogging to try and help me and my wife learn what parts of the autocross course we are going slower and what parts we are going faster on, I' haven't had a chance to try it out yet, but I think it would be pretty cool and a fairly useful tool.

 

Finally got my HP iPAQ6925, and I'm about to pull the trigger on this product!

I was contemplating the Bluetooth option for an extra 130 bucks, but then saw this in the FAQ:




Why don't you recommend Bluetooth with PC enhanced interface options?
Seems that Bluetooth is not so desirable then... What are "IM states," Matt?

 

Also, Andy had run some tests and found that the data rates are pretty slow.

These are his results....
Average sample rates with 1 variable selected:
brand a: 1.6 samples/sec
brand b: 11.8 samples/sec

Average sample rates with the same 6 variables selected:
brand a: 0.13 samples/sec
brand b: 3.91 samples/sec

autoenginuity: 10 faults found (3 of them unknown) (Brand A)
bim-com: 16 faults found, definitions for all of them (Brand B)

So it looks like the AE offering still has some room to improve.... But at least 1) You CAN buy it and
2) I'm sure that it will get better, but who knows the time constant for that!

Matt

ps, and I'm not sure about the BT thing. If you think of the bandwidth a call needs, it should be small compared to what data logging takes, but I'm sure that they have experience with it...... Who knows!

 

How does this AutoE stuff compare to what UNICHIP is about to realease, does anybody know?

BEATNUT

 

The AutoEnginuity is an OBD-II data logger with BMW/Mini extensions. IT's the BMW/Mini extensions that are significant. These are things that do stuff like reset the air bag light, and log values that aren't part of the generic OBD-II specification.

What the UniChip ought to be able to offer is some faster data logging that the OBD-II interface (all the engine wires go through the UniChip harness). If they add a tap into the OBD-II diagnostic lines, then anything that is available from that would be available to the UniChip, but at OBD-II data rates. If they choose to reverse engineer the BMW extensions, then they could offer than. It's a lot of work to do.

Matt

 

I'm sure the more the better, generally speaking... But, as a minimum, what would you like to see?

I found this correspondence with AutoE on a forum, and found it interesting (color provided by poster):

comments: How many samples per second should I expect to log on my 2000
Mitsubishi Eclipse GT? I would like to use your Palm based product to aid
in tuning my vehicle, and would like to retrieve sensor values from the ECU
as fast as possible. Other products I have looked at can log 17 samples per
second from the ECU on a Palm. I would like to know how your product stacks
up.

We will not see 17 samples per second. You are referring to Pocket Logger.
They use a proprietary command that only few cars respond to. If you need
that kind of throughput-they are your man. We destroy them as a diag-tool.
Our main interest is all vehicle interfaces with COMPLETE OBDII
implementations for all vehicles.

Wow thank you for the quick reply. You are right I was speaking of Pocket Logger. However, what type of sample rate would I see with your Palm product? I was told by Auterra via e-mail that for most vehicles the sample rate is "40mS to 120mS per sample." I really only need to log TPS, O2 voltage, RPM, and Timing, since I am only tuning the open loop fuel delievery. However, I like the many of the other features of your product.

We sell 10K units a year. We sell more in a month then the two do in a year. Our hardware is in US emissions and service shops nation wide. Ford Motor Company is our largest client. DO you see why OBDII compliancy is our number one goal.

Dave at Auterra is correct. (Actually, almost 50ms is the fast any OBDII sample can ever go through at.) We see about 3-4 on your vehicle. On GM and Ford we 9-12. On ISO it-s between 2-8. Only really late model ISO vehicles go faster. Why is it slower. The baud rate on ISO is negotiable as Pocket Logger states—but only on older ECMs. The problem with doing it that way is reliability of communications. To stabilize with OBDII commands you must use a command and response. The ECM is the hold up—not us. Our GM Fast Mode does 40 samples a second (40Hz).

Question, how can you possibly tune with a narrow band O2. The view of the fuel trim and rate at which it samples is so pathetic we never use them for anything. We worked with GM on ECM reprogramming the 2007 vehicles and had a unique opportunity to watch their guy work. He had more WBO2s then I have ever seen. His technique was flawless but even he said he couldn’t use a NBO2 for any level of tuning—believe me we were hoping he knew a way.

More on the Bluetooth from AE:

http://www.autoenginuity.com/products-hardware.html

It seems that it only has issues with some enhanced "bi-directional" controls. I need to find-out, like an example, of what that might be... I have an email in with them now, most just to confirm that it will work with my pocket pc (just released)...

 

one is ask/reply, the other is more like a data trace, when you ask for a certain number of variables once, and it just streams values back as fast as it can.

They are right, somewhat. If they are offering the BMW extensions, that goes beyond the OBD-II spec, and if they are starting to do that, it would be good to give the user the abillity to make brand specific calls as reference, or the option to run streaming if data rate is more important than a missed data point.

As far as what is good enought? What are you logging for? In general, I like 10x the rate of what I'm chasing. If that's a fast transient, then I need really fast (100 Hz or better) acquisition.

For 0-60 runs, that's about 7 second, and if you want 50 data points over the run, that's a good 8 Hz.

The longer times for OBD-II logging are better for looking at steady state effects. But in a pinch, you can do more, like the IC data we did with the CarChip data.....

Sorry, there's no one answer....

Matt

 

Matt, that's what I'm learning (no one answer)!

The performance analyzer aspect of it is appealing, but for me, secondary to the troublshooting capability and visibility that it affords. I just don't see a better combo of the two out there.

I'll let you know what I find-out regarding sampling rates. Thank you.

 

I won't be going BT:

"Yeah, then BT won’t work. BT is too slow for BMW/MINI for sure. You need a cable to do this."


And as far as sampling rates:

"Probably about 5 Hz."


Matt, so what doees 5 Hz equate to in terms of samples a second? And, is this a software or hardware limitation? If software, then maybe a future upgrades (free) would help in this regard... Just wondering about their performance analyzer, or what they call their SpeedTracer:

http://www.autoenginuity.com/products-speedtracer1.html

I see that they don't use accelerometers, and provide their reasons... Curious to hear your thoughts Matt, or anyone else for that matter!