Reading Ecu Data From The Roadside ...

[Iggle Piggle]

How long before the police have roadside boxes that 'read' your cars ECU (computer) for data like maximum speed, driving style etc. The technology is there, it's just a matter of time...

Can I claim the patent on this idea if no-one has thought of it yet ? :-)

[tonyav]

I'd say from Oct this year coming, Iggle Piggle !.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/new-cars-must-black-box-3563221

[Iggle Piggle]

oooh, that's interesting, cheers tonyav. I'll just have to claim patent on the remote reading capability part of the idea ...

[sunny-dave]

Sales of bacofoil might increase :)

[tonyav]

I've got my hat ready, Dave !.

[Quoi]

You wont need to read the ecu iggle when they put speed controllers in the speed limit signs to stop your car going too fast in the first place.

[Old_Geezer]

Unsure about getting the patent. You can accept the blame when the masses finally realise all this surveillance is beyond the Pale and rise up baying for the blood of their privacy violators, if you wish.

[ToraToraTora]

ECUs do not record those things, they are for controlling things like the engine, suspension, braking etc. They have very limited recording abilities.

[bert_h]

Sorry, no patent. For that, the idea has to be shown in a working form.

Google for Arthur+Clarke+geostationary+communications+satellite.

[Iggle Piggle]

Sorry ToraTT but ECUs record a great deal on modern cars. My Audi could be read to see my driving style, top speed, top rpm, how many times it had been started since last service, whether a caravan had been attached, how many times the electronic suspension had been raised etc. etc. they are pretty clever things with a long memory.

[chas2008]

as said , ECUs on modern cars record quite a bit even to point the point of how many misfires a cylinder has had over a given period of time...clever stuff.
I believe certain american cars transmit this info back to the manufactures to allow for updating / tuning etc.

[Zacs-Master]

It's called telemetry. Not just American cars with it:
http://blog.kaspersky.com/production-cars-telemetry/

[ToraToraTora]

caravans! IP! please tell me you are not a caravanist!

[DTCwordfan]

Here is Iggle's car and caravan, TTT

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02905/The_best_tow_car_2905314b.jpg

[Zacs-Master]

If he were 'caravanist' he would be insulting and prejudice to caravan owners.

[ToraToraTora]

well pugilists don't seem insulted by the title!

[Zacs-Master]

Only dyslexic ones ;-)

[Iggle Piggle]

Yes, I did have a caravan, and will have one again one day (when funds allow) and I towed with an Audi allroad, this car will tow just about anything ! I also read my own ECU's as a hobby (yes I'm a bit of a geek).

[SlackAlice]

Looks like someones already got one,

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Motoring/Question1389105.html