SINCE its creation over 100 year ago, the car has positioned itself as the predominant mean of transport in the world and it has become a key instrument for the functioning of society. However, over the last decades, the world has experienced an intense process of environmental awareness, where the automobile plays a significant role by being one of the main pollution sources that exist in the planet.
The standard OBDI was created with the objective of monitoring the pollution levels of light levels. OBDI is in charge of monitoring the engine’s main components and its implementation in new vehicles became mandatory in the United States since 1991 [1]. The current OBDII standard was developed in 1996 as a result of stricter environmental measures in the United States and its implementation in new vehicles has being mandatory since that year. Currently the OBDII standard has been implemented in most new vehicles around the world and it is main tool for a complete automotive diagnosis.
OBDII is not only able to determine errors in the vehicle operation; it is also capable of providing information in real time about different parameters of the system. Currently many companies require that their vehicles to be in constant use, this causes them to be at risk of mechanical failures, capable of compromising not only their integrity but also the occupants security. These failures can cause the vehicle stoppage for repair, which represent a problem in terms of cost and logistics for the owners. Therefore, a system that integrates the information provided by the OBDII standard with a userfriendly interface, allows companies and vehicle owners to be aware of the mechanical condition of their unit, being able to identify and solve car problems and prevent potential catastrophic damage to them. The implementation of this system ensures the reliability of the vehicles and safety of the occupants concerning the mechanical part.
STANDARD OBDII All printed material, including text, illustrations, and charts, must be kept within a print area of 6-1/2 inches (16.51 cm) wide by 8-7/8 inches (22.51 cm) high. Do not write or print anything outside the print area. All text must be in a two-column format. Columns are to be 3-1/16 inches (7.85 cm) wide, with a 3/8 inch (0.81 cm) space between them. Text must be fully justified. A format sheet with the margins and placement guides is available as both Word and PDF files as and . It contains lines and boxes showing the margins and print areas. If you hold it and your printed page up to the light, you can easily check your margins to see if your print area fits within the space allowed. A. Description In 1988, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established for vehicle manufacturers to necessarily include a program of self – diagnosis in automotive computers. This first generation of on-board diagnostic systems was known as OBDI. [2]
OBDI is a set of programmed instructions in computers or automotive brains. The main objective of these programs is to detect any damage that might occur in actuators, switches and the wiring of any system that is related to gas emissions from the vehicle. Therefore if the computer detects a failure or malfunction in any of these systems, an indicator on the dashboard is lit. The indicator therefore will only be lit when a problem is detected in the vehicle emissions. OBDII offers a second version of OBDI, the diagnosis programs are improved and show a new automotive monitoring function, unlike OBDI that was only able to identify damaged components. The monitoring function not only deals with issues related to gas emission systems but several others responsible for the proper operation and safety of the vehicle. OBDII also allows all this information to be available and accessible to owners and mechanics using the proper equipment. However, OBDII’s main characteristic is standardization but each manufacturer implemented it based on their own considerations. The connector, communication protocols, fault codes and terminology varied depending on the car brand, so diagnostic systems had no interoperability between cars from different manufacturers. Therefore OBDII three main objectives are: • Standardize communication procedures and protocols between the diagnostic equipment and automotive computers • Promote the use of a standard link connector on all vehicles. • Standardize the code numbers, code definitions and used language for the description and identification of car flaws. • Currently most modern light vehicles incorporate the OBDII standard; however, for heavy vehicles its implementation is not yet mandatory. B. ODBII Connector The Data Link Connector or DLC is the physical interface between the vehicle’s computer and the diagnosis system or equipment. In OBDI systems shape, size and connector location varied between manufacturers while using OBDII the 16-pin connector is standardize and even though its location varies between vehicles, in general it is possible to find it in the left hand part of the instrumental board.
C. OBDII Faul Codes Also known as Diagnose Trouble Code or DTC, these codes identify failures or malfunctioning in systems of specific components of the vehicle. [3] Each vehicle in its instrumental board has a malfunction indicator known as “Engine Light”. When the computer detects a problem in automotive operation of one or more systems: Assigns a fault code that identifies the source of the problem, store this code in the internal memory of the computer and turns on the malfunction indicator to inform the owner to carry out a check on the vehicle.
D. Bluetooth Device BAFX OBDII BAFX OBDII bluetooth adapter is a device that allows synchronization and communication between the computer of any vehicle manufactured after 1996 and an Android device or a a computer with Windows operating system. Figure 3 shows the device BAFX OBDII. [4]