Cars are now collecting a huge amount of information about how they are operating which can be of great help or just interest to the owner.
But much of the information is hidden and would be distracting to view while you are driving and cumbersome to look at if you have to stay seated in the car.
Almost every car made after 1996 has a connection port under the dashboard to connect diagnostic systems. This port is called the OBD-II port (on-board diagnostics).
Scantool now makes a product the ODBLink MX+ ($140 Australian Dollars) which uses a wireless dongle to connect your car to your smartphone, tablet or Windows PC via Bluetooth.
The app lets the user completely customize information screens with multiple dashboards for different situations.
You can set up one for fuel mileage information, one for engine performance, one for speed and acceleration rates and so on.
David’s boyhood passion for motor cars did not immediately lead to a professional role in the motor industry. A qualified Civil Engineer he specialised in traffic engineering and transport planning.
What followed were various positions including being seconded to a government think-tank for the planning of transport firstly in Sydney and then for the whole of NSW. After working with the NRMA and as a consultant he moved to being an independent writer and commentator on the broader areas of transport and the more specific areas of the cars we drive.
His half hour motoring program “Overdrive” has been described as an “informed, humorous and irreverent look at motoring and transport from Australia and overseas”. It is heard on 22 stations across Australia. He does weekly interviews with several ABC radio stations and is also heard on commercial radio in Sydney.
David has written for metropolitan and regional newspapers and has presented regular segments on metropolitan and regional television stations. David is also a contributor for AnyAuto
Dongle lets you see how your car is performing