CARPet 1.0 In-car PC
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Develop the leading Open-source Platform for Intelligent systems
This page intends to further detail the design challenge of the design and realisation of the in-car computing platform, further referred to as CarPet. In this document the goal of the CarPet team is defined and an approach is given. In addition to this a short planning and some criteria are provided. The document is very draft and will be used to communicate between team members in order to align expectations. Parts of this document will also serve to involve companies, universities and others.
What is CarPet?
An in-car computing platform is a critical part of the c,mm,n concept. It's architecture should enable developers to easily create their own software on top of it to control hardware or interfaces. At the same time, the architecture should provide enough stability to make safe driving possible. The car currently features several intelligent systems in which a central platform would provide people with more control. For example: the active suspension can be adapted to information of other cars and GPS location. It could even detect holes in the road and communicate this to the proper authorities. Many other examples are in the design. This illustrates the need for a central platform that connects the input and output of separate systems and enables developers to write software that uses this data in the advantage of the end-user. This is truly a big challenge and task. Therefore the process of developing this system uses phases with concrete results to evolve the CarPet towards a leading system in the automotive industry. The CarPet team is part of the c,mm,n 2.0 initiative that is now in its start-up phase. This project aims to develop five roadworthy laboratory vehicles that enable the community to test their hardware on users. The c,mm,n 2.0 project is one of several projects initiated by the c,mm,n foundation. The foundations goal is to give people more control over their mobility by supporting a community that enables people to develop, use and display their skills.
Goal and approach
Because the CarPet system will evolve through time as hard- and software improves a general goal of the system is worth establishing. This goal is achieved by relatively short projects with their own goal, planning and public results.
Goal
The general goal of the long term CarPet project would be: “We want to enable people to develop, use and share smart functionality and services by creating a hardware and software platform that interconnects systems in and around the car.”
Approach
In order to achieve a hardware and software platform several steps are foreseen. This enables an iterative approach towards developing a radical industry leading platform. 1.Index existing options in open-source and commercial hard- and software and make a selection to create a 'distribution' with basic functionality and one advanced collaborative feature. 2.Set concept standards and build dedicated software to support an increasing amount of systems in the prototype vehicles. 3....
Project CarPet 1.0
Project CarPet 1.0 is the first phase of the CarPet project and will provide an overview of existing open-source and commercial initiatives, select some of these and build a concept in-car computing system with basic functionality. To show this off to the public one advanced collaborative feature is made functional. We must come to a definition along the line of: “the 1.0 system can do this and this”. Planning Project CarPet will run for XX months.
The Team
We are looking for team members! Please contact Jacco if you are interested.
- Aygun Abibula
- Jacco Lammers
- Jos Thalen (semi-active)
- Gertjan Endeman (inactive)
The CarPet team is defined by the capabilities needed to complete the 1.0 challenge. An overview of these capabilities and expertises is given below.
| Capability/extertise | Filled in by |
| Project management | Open. |
| Hardware architecture | X86 ( maybe nano itx board )
http://www.mini-itx.com/ Do we need someone that has to develop/select dedicated hardware to connect the itx board to the car's systems? Do we need some kind of standardized interface/bus with the rest of the car? |
| Software architecture | Linux kernel and the aditional modules.Modules should be easy to install or remove – SD card or USB stick based – plug and play ( something like SLAX ).We can use uClib for from scrach building of an dedicated system.For fast boot we can use LinuxBIOS |
| GPS software | I have an early talk with MTS developer ( Mobile Tracking System )
http://www.fightersoft.ro/mts/index.htm http://www.mobilewave.ro/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=836 after vacation we gonna have an response on how an when he can write the MTS for Linux |
| Distance Measurement Software | Laser and Video Camera Based |
| hardware | How do we program our hardware then?
Storage can be based on Solid State Hard Drive ( SD or CF ) http://www.techjapan.com/Article930.html http://crunchgear.com/2007/02/19/so-four-sd-cards-walk-into-a-drive/ |
Resources
In order to achieve results in this project some resources are needed. Most of the resources in this phase will be gathered by piggybacking on existing projects within larger organisations. The c,mm,n foundation will put effort into obtaining the necessary expertise, hardware, software and logistics to forward this project phase. General Criteria The general criteria for the CarPet hardware and software are evaluated using the life-cycle of the system. In this program of criteria demands and requirements are discerned. Demands discuss an amount of fulfilment, while criteria should always be met. The short life-cycle of the car (3 years) means that the Carpet hardware must be easily replaced, updated and reconfigured. See nanoITX baords or picoITX board. The life-cycle of the system should have a low ecological footprint. Etc...
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