Unofficial PHEV wifi app

[MatsH]

A month away from my PHEV - And have already started to investigate how to create my own Android app. Nice to see other people doing the same! I take it there's no documentation floating around the Internet on the communications protocol for the wifi? Reverse engineering the Mitsubishi app is the only way to find out what's going on between the phone and the car?
I was thinking about an app that could be remote controlled using SMS (like the one from AutoApps.no but all rolled into one). At home, I won't be within wifi range, so some kind of "remote remote" is a must!

 

[wazzad]

A month away from my PHEV - And have already started to investigate how to create my own Android app. Nice to see other people doing the same! I take it there's no documentation floating around the Internet on the communications protocol for the wifi? Reverse engineering the Mitsubishi app is the only way to find out what's going on between the phone and the car?
I was thinking about an app that could be remote controlled using SMS (like the one from AutoApps.no but all rolled into one). At home, I won't be within wifi range, so some kind of "remote remote" is a must!

The wifi uses standard WPA2 style encryption which creates a standard network between the app and the car. The protocol being used is proprietary and used the Java socket protocol for sending and receiving messages themselves. From what I have worked out so far is these messages are direct calls to the MMCS, this included ECU specific queries so my current suspicion is that the MMCS acts as the intermediary between the CANbus and the wifi ECU.

Hope that makes some sense, happy to answer specific questions

I have not forgotten about this all, just bit busy with work and life to get around to coding anything more than the test stuff to date. Hoping to have an unofficial testing version before the mid year though!

 

[MatsH]

The wifi uses standard WPA2 style encryption which creates a standard network between the app and the car. The protocol being used is proprietary and used the Java socket protocol for sending and receiving messages themselves. From what I have worked out so far is these messages are direct calls to the MMCS, this included ECU specific queries so my current suspicion is that the MMCS acts as the intermediary between the CANbus and the wifi ECU.

OK! I was hoping for some kind of "web server" in the MMCS with an API listening on some port. That would have been a simple matter to interface against. But raw sockets, you say? Sounds really "old school" to me!

 

[wazzad]

The wifi uses standard WPA2 style encryption which creates a standard network between the app and the car. The protocol being used is proprietary and used the Java socket protocol for sending and receiving messages themselves. From what I have worked out so far is these messages are direct calls to the MMCS, this included ECU specific queries so my current suspicion is that the MMCS acts as the intermediary between the CANbus and the wifi ECU.

OK! I was hoping for some kind of "web server" in the MMCS with an API listening on some port. That would have been a simple matter to interface against. But raw sockets, you say? Sounds really "old school" to me!

Hahahaha yeah I wished it was simply webserver with something like a restful api but alas no, can tell this was written by an engineer and not a more suitable dev..... Although the engineer did not give two hoots about security which is making my research quite a bit easier if you decompile the android app you can view the actual jsocket structure and basic names matched against the raw data so attributing the known calls are trivial. I am more interested in the calls direct to the EV-ECU Bus though so makes it a tad bit more painful as next step is pulling out the looms and attempting to glitch out the ECU's so I can grab a copy of the firmware binaries on wrote protected modules!

 

[Bladevane]

I understand every word you are saying - but haven't got a clue what the meaning is. My problem, I know. I look forward to hearing how we can perform more useful functions with a remote app.

 

[anko]

From what I have worked out so far is these messages are direct calls to the MMCS, this included ECU specific queries so my current suspicion is that the MMCS acts as the intermediary between the CANbus and the wifi ECU.

Not quite. The WiFi module (actually I should say the EV Remote module) is directly linked to the SUB CAN C can bus. See picture. Also, people have replace MMCS by aftermarket units, without loosing remote control capabilities.

I think it is the other way around: Next to the app, MMCS is a second user interface which connects via canbus to the EV Remote module.

 

[wazzad]

From what I have worked out so far is these messages are direct calls to the MMCS, this included ECU specific queries so my current suspicion is that the MMCS acts as the intermediary between the CANbus and the wifi ECU.

Not quite. The WiFi module (actually I should say the EV Remote module) is directly linked to the SUB CAN C can bus. See picture. Also, people have replace MMCS by aftermarket units, without loosing remote control capabilities.

I think it is the other way around: Next to the app, MMCS is a second user interface which connects via canbus to the EV Remote module.

AWESOME!!!!! Anko you are a god damn hero!

So this may be where I am struggling at the moment! you mean to say that timers and remote control settings (such as alarm config) etc are NOT affected when you remove the MMCS?? well that saves me removing my MMCS to test!



this makes the rest more simple............. so anything on the Sub CAN-C is accessible from the wifi controller without any watchdog??!!! that is a scary thought considering the OSS is directly attached!

Although my main target has now moved onto the EV CAN bus, that would in theory be routable via the ETACS Controller -> MAIN CAN-C -> EV Can? (which is where the MMCS on the Sub CAN-C) grabs it from anyways?

Still time to grab these firmware binaries =\

 

[anko]

So this may be where I am struggling at the moment! you mean to say that timers and remote control settings (such as alarm config) etc are NOT affected when you remove the MMCS?? well that saves me removing my MMCS to test!

In the Netherlands several MMCSes where replaced by Pioneers with no issues.

so anything on the Sub CAN-C is accessible from the wifi controller without any watchdog??!!! that is a scary thought considering the OSS is directly attached!

I think so. Unless the remote controller is a watchdog itself. Have you established it is not?

Although my main target has now moved onto the EV CAN bus, that would in theory be routable via the ETACS Controller -> MAIN CAN-C -> EV Can? (which is where the MMCS on the Sub CAN-C) grabs it from anyways?

What kind of info from EV-CSAN are you looking for? Perhaps I can help .... See my post from last night in the Tech section regarding Extracting useful info ....

 

[DUGSA63]

Hi wazzad, I like the sound of what you're saying but also struggle to keep up with the tech. Anyway, have you managed to get rid of the super annoying message on start that requires an acknowledgment before the screen will display anything?
What I find most infuriating about the wifi app is that the phone will automatically connect which prevents it from accessing the Internet and the only way to prevent this is to hit forget this network ' in settings. BTW I have an iPhone so may be different to android.
I also agree that the functionality feels like an engineer build rather than the user friendly approach of a developer.
Hope your eventual app will work on iPhone too, anyway good wishes.

 

[anko]

Hi wazzad, I like the sound of what you're saying but also struggle to keep up with the tech. Anyway, have you managed to get rid of the super annoying message on start that requires an acknowledgment before the screen will display anything?
What I find most infuriating about the wifi app is that the phone will automatically connect which prevents it from accessing the Internet and the only way to prevent this is to hit forget this network ' in settings. BTW I have an iPhone so may be different to android.
I also agree that the functionality feels like an engineer build rather than the user friendly approach of a developer.
Hope your eventual app will work on iPhone too, anyway good wishes.

Change the ip settings of the remote wifi connection from dhcp to fixed and do not enter router and gateway info, just IP address and subnet. This allows an iPhone to connect to the internet, while connected to the remote network.

 

[PHEVHappy]

Hi wazzad, I like the sound of what you're saying but also struggle to keep up with the tech. Anyway, have you managed to get rid of the super annoying message on start that requires an acknowledgment before the screen will display anything?
What I find most infuriating about the wifi app is that the phone will automatically connect which prevents it from accessing the Internet and the only way to prevent this is to hit forget this network ' in settings. BTW I have an iPhone so may be different to android.
I also agree that the functionality feels like an engineer build rather than the user friendly approach of a developer.
Hope your eventual app will work on iPhone too, anyway good wishes.

Change the ip settings of the remote wifi connection from dhcp to fixed and do not enter router and gateway info, just IP address and subnet. This allows an iPhone to connect to the internet, while connected to the remote network.

This is a great tip, i have just done this and it works a treat thank you.

Just one point how do i get the DHCP setting back if i want them?? ( i didnt make a note of them in my haste to try your solution ) :roll:

 

[anko]

Hi wazzad, I like the sound of what you're saying but also struggle to keep up with the tech. Anyway, have you managed to get rid of the super annoying message on start that requires an acknowledgment before the screen will display anything?
What I find most infuriating about the wifi app is that the phone will automatically connect which prevents it from accessing the Internet and the only way to prevent this is to hit forget this network ' in settings. BTW I have an iPhone so may be different to android.
I also agree that the functionality feels like an engineer build rather than the user friendly approach of a developer.
Hope your eventual app will work on iPhone too, anyway good wishes.

Change the ip settings of the remote wifi connection from dhcp to fixed and do not enter router and gateway info, just IP address and subnet. This allows an iPhone to connect to the internet, while connected to the remote network.

This is a great tip, i have just done this and it works a treat thank you.

Just one point how do i get the DHCP setting back if i want them?? ( i didnt make a note of them in my haste to try your solution ) :roll:

Just select DHCP. The whole idea of DHCP is that you do not need to worry about it

 

[thegurio]

First things first - 3G access! I know your app can't do that, but I want them!

Ok, I would love more stats.. % of ev driving, cost of charging, degradation of battery from new. Total run time of engine... That sort of thing.

Oh, and on iOS...

 

[meek]

Hey!
I'm new at this forum and I'm waiting on my new PHEV to arrive in August.
I really like to read all the posts to learn stuff from you guys!

As many others, I'm looking into if there is any good app to use instead of the crappy one that is included...

It seems like there are a few of you guys that are into this app development!? =)
I've understood that it needs a cellphone in the car with a controlling app installed...like autoapps.no!?
I would like a good looking widget (android) and a IOS app to send input to the controlling app in the car...

I'm no programmer and I don't know anything about it....but is someone working on an app like that!? =)

I did a quick sketch how a widget might look like but I don't know how to attach the image into this post... =)

Cheers!

 

[Jur]

Hey guys.

Are there any new ideas about this? My idea was a Raspberry Pi (as a wifi-bridge) with a Webserver on it, placed im my garage. Because the Outlander should communicate with my Smarthome-System.
Mabye someone had alrady a wifi connection to the car without the official app?

Sorry about my english.

Many greetings from germany

 

[Mitch]

Hi Jur,

I'm thinking since days how to get my Outi integrated into my smarthome.
Will install a Raspberry as a WiFi-WiFi Bridge in my Garage.

Only problem I read, the app will not work from home network, it needs direct connection to the Outi WiFi.

Grüße aus der Landeshauptstadt

 

[Steeeeve]

See, my ideal solution would be replacing the mmcs with an android unit, if you are able to effectively replicate and enhance on that functionality with this app, it would certainly make that a feasible option

 

[roseytony]

Hi,

It sounds great. One thing I find annoying is forgetting to do things when I leave the car and wanting to do them from the house without having to go back out to the car. The most frequent is folding in the mirrors. I know they are on a button, but also automatically controlled, so it ought to be possible.

Cheers

Tony

 

[nils944]

While we wait for an app to be developed an interim solution is the "extra-phone-in-the-car" scenario using Tasker and communicating with it via sms (text messaging).

I believe several people have tried this with success. I have tried it with limited success and posted a request for help under the modifications topic entitled "Remote App access via sms and Tasker (for pre-heating)", but no responses as of yet.

Has anyone reading this had success using an extra mobile phone in the car running Tasker?

 

[vluong0403]

Hi,

Would love to see individual tire pressures from TPMS in the app, if possible.

Thanks!