In one sentence

OpenCarData collects, stores & disseminates Real-World OBD (On Board Diagnostics) auto data

ReInventing the Wheel?

Typically not a sensible allocation of one's efforts, but on this particular topic - our automobiles - we think there is quite a lot to reinvent. Dating back to the original gasoline engine by Daimler & Maybach in 1889 - cars have seen little to no progress of the internet revolution that the rest of our world has gone through. They are still - sadly - isolated gold mines waiting to be networked. OpenCarData makes a start with networking our vehicles because we believe it will make them smarter.

What is OpenCarData ?

OpenCarData collects, stores & shares – real world - OBD auto-data. As such the system is a real-time health check of an individual car, a companies car park or our global accumulated car fleet.

OCD provides technology to centralize OBD-data world wide so it can be analyzed in order to produce better. We provide software and an API so you can build custom OBD-II applications applications and tools.

OpenCarData enables individuals, companies & governments to monitor real-world car (fleet) efficiency to help reduce cost and maximize operations.

Platform Technical Overview

OpenCarData wants to offer an open platform for OBD-data exchange. Below a schematics of how OpenCarData transfers OBD-data from your car to a web client. Additional information can be found on the API tab

What is On Board Diagnostics ?

On Board Diagnostics (OBD) is a universal car computer system, built into vehicles from 1996 onwards, to monitor the emission performance of our cars engine. The system warns of malfunctions by way of the “Check Engine” light on the dashboard protecting the environment and identifying minor problems before becoming major repairs.

On-Board Diagnostics, or "OBD," is a computer-based system built into all 1996 and later light-duty vehicles and trucks, as required by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. OBD systems are designed to monitor the performance of some of an engine's major components including those responsible for controlling emissions. http://www.epa.gov

If the light comes on and stays on, the OBD system has detected a problem. Your vehicle might have a condition that wastes fuel, shortens engine life, or causes excessive air pollution. If left unaddressed, these conditions could also damage your vehicle and lead to increasingly expensive repairs. For example, OBD can identify a loose or missing gas cap (which wastes fuel and contributes to smog) or engine misfire (which can lead to severe or permanent engine damage).

OBD impacts many audiences for different reasons:

Our networked cars

Even though OBD has been around for many years, it has not become a tool for end users, let alone one that is networked and aggregated like other (performance) data out there on the web. OCD provides an open approach to vehicle performance information sharing.

Other OBD systems on the market

Google for OBD-scanners and you will find a vast array of OBD scanners, cables adapters, etc. Everything ranging from costly box-type professional devices (Bosh, VAG, VW) to cheaper hand scanners (Equus, VAG, DiaTech) for the DIY car enthusiasts.

In the last few years also mobile software solutions have started to appear. Rev by DevToaster is a popular example available for iPhone. There are also some open-source projects out there: FreeDiag & OpenDiag

Custom applications

Many interesting applications can be conceived using the OCD Software, API and dbase. You can think of car maintenance tools which automatically send notifications of alerts in the system. Or efficiency tools which help you reduce fuel cost by analyzing your driving behavior & calculating alternative routes. Or by just creating great looking gadgets or widgets to monitor or show off your cars peak performance.

Vehicle Emission Profiles

A vehicle emission profile is a DYNAMIC REPRESENTATION OF REAL WORLD CO2-EMISSION measured from our cars. Car usage effects emission profiles ... which puts the driver in control.

Today in Europe, our passenger cars contribute to 12% of man-made CO2, the main form of greenhouse gas pollution. Our cars - 600M now, 1B+ in 2020 - produce an average of 155 grams of CO2 per kilometer (2009). By 2020, under new legislation (Kyoto, Copenhagen) this number is to decrease to 95 gram/km.

Visit the VehicleEmissionProfiles site

Thanks to

A source of inspiration – for quite some years now – has been http://mp3car.com. Actually the core of the EmissionProfiles algorithm is discussed on this site.

OpenCarData has been kindly supported by Digitale Pioniers