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HobDrive Smartphone App (vs Scangauge)

3K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  Squirrel 
#1 ·
Usually when the subject of smartphone apps as an alternative to a Scangauge comes up, the app normally mentioned is Torque. But so far as I know the FEH parameters have to be installed in Torque in the form of custom PID's. And I've never found these PID's for the more recent FEH's.

HobDrive seems to have all this stuff built into it. I installed the free "demo" version to check it out. One of the first things you do is define your vehicle. Not only does it happily let you specify an '08 or '09 FEH, the website www.hobdrive.com has a vehicle compatibility list that contains a vast list of vehicles. Including many hybrids. This is truly an international app. Because vehicle systems and OBDII itself vary so much, I can't imagine the amount of work that must have been done to configure this app for hundreds of vehicles. Including, of course, non-Hybrid Escapes.

There are versions for Android, Apple and Windows phones. There is a paid version that would be desirable for more attractive and customizable graphics. The demo version's graphics are pretty homely. The HobDrive website contains tons of useful information. It specifically says the FEH is supported.

The list has a subset of vehicles that have had specific parameters set up for them, tested and provided as profiles. The '08/'09 FEH have this designation. So when you specify a vehicle that has a profile, the relevant sets of parameters load automatically.

Given that the '05-'07 FEH is supposed to work pretty well the same way as the '08, probably HobDrive will work just as well for them. There might be an issue with the original 4wd system. The app also states that any vehicle newer than the model years listed should also be compatible. So that would cover the '10-'12. They suggest you install the free version first and see if it works before spending the (modest) fee for the pro version.

The app has several pages of parameters specific to the FEH. They are: Hybrid, FEH TBCM, FEH TCM and Ford WHEEL.

The Hybrid page holds a bunch of parameters such as Time on Battery, Hybrid efficiency, Fuel economy on Battery, MG1InvTemp and Track Battery SoC.

TBCM relates to the hybrid battery, and has 17 parameters, including several for battery temperature, charge and discharge limits, several for SoC, and others. Each of them relates to a sensor and there's a deeper layer where each sensor can be edited. If you know what you're doing.

FEH TCM has 20 parameters including Track Motor RPM, Gen inv volt, Motor Coil Temp, Motor EI Coolant Temp, eCVT Temp.

Ford WHEEL has 12 parameters such as individual wheel speed, and Rear Wheel Clutch.

These FEH-specific pages are in addition to the other 12 or so screens that each have scores of other sorts of information. You can also view trouble codes and clear them.

There's even a HUD option. This reverses the screen so you can lay the phone flat on the dashboard and see the data projected on the windshield.

I hate apps that don't allow you much control over them. HobDrive's options and depth go far beyond what I can understand, so it passes the test in the "under the hood" rating.

I haven't used a ScanGauge, but I'd venture if HobDrive works as it claims, it handles more parameters than a Scangauge. It can display more parameters at the same time, so those who need several Scangauges running at once could reduce the dashboard clutter. I also think smartphones are more attractive than the Scangauge. If you use a dash-mounted smartphone anyway, adding HobDrive would require nothing but the app and an OBDII adapter. HobDrive supports both wifi and Bluetooth adapters.

And, if you have a recent nav unit that can run phone apps, you could run this app on the nav unit itself. So much for any thoughts of trying to install a factory nav unit to get the hybrid data screen.

While I have installed the app on my phone, I haven't tried it in the FEH yet. I have a Mobileye 560 for forward collision and lane departure warnings. Besides displaying on a basic dash-mounted gauge, the 560 features a Bluetooth connection to display its information on the Mobileye app running on a smartphone. I'm hoping that the information broadcast by the 560 over Bluetooth is the raw OBDII data stream. Probably not, but if it is, then I don't even need an OBDII adapter. If I need to use an adapter, I already have one.

Getting all this working isn't the sort of thing I'd fool around with when driving, so it will have to wait until I use the FEH for something and have time to play with HobDrive. I'll post when I make some progress.
 
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#2 ·
I had a chance to try this today, and it works perfectly.

I tried it first using a Bluetooth connection to the Mobileye 560, since the Mobileye camera unit transmits data to a smartphone app. This didn't provide Hobdrive with anything it uses.

So I plugged an ELM-27 Bluetooth gizmo into the OBDII port, paired it, and it worked. It was quite interesting to see SoC and engagement% of the clutch for the rear axle for the first time.

Next I'll buy the paid version of Hobdrive since it allows you to set up a dashboard of selected gauges, instead of the text-only screens that the demo version is limited to.

Because I can now display any hybrid or non-hybrid parameters using the phone and Hobdrive, this is the final nail in the coffin of considering buying and trying to install an OEM nav unit. The only reason to do that is for the hybrid display, and there are plenty of strong reasons to not attempt to install the OEM unit.

In fact, if you get a head unit and phone that can MirrorLink each other, or something similar, or get a head unit that can run smartphone apps, you could run Hobdrive on the nav unit and do away with the clutter of a smartphone on a bracket.

Hobdrive would also be handy for owners of non-Hybrid Escapes, or any other car. You can easily move it and the ELM-27 between cars by reconfiguring the vehicle choice. I'm going to try it on the Grand Vitara. I can't see any good reason to buy a Scangauge any more. If you already have a smartphone, the cost to set this up is only for the OBDII adapter, and a phone bracket.
 
#3 ·
Hey this is damn cool news! I've been playing with torque a bit and hunting for those PIDs without much success....will give this a shot with the android nav setup i've finally got in running order (post about that coming soon)

EDIT: ...since you were considering the factory nav, I'll mention that if this works as well as you say, you're WAY ahead on both ease of install and resulting functionality with an android tablet. I went through a number of more complicated ideas before settling on a pretty simple setup that's pretty great...more on that later
 
#4 ·
Aren't you the person who's modifying the center stack to insert a phablet like a head unit?

My main reservation about using a smartphone or phablet without integrating it is that I've yet to find a dash or windshield bracket that puts the gizmo within easy reach while not obstructing the view or dash instruments or controls. The OBD app graphics also don't have the visual interest of the factory nav unit hybrid graphics.

The biggest problem with a factory nav unit seemed to be setting it up with the info display on the top of the dashboard. That was on top of the issues with price, very limited capabilities, costly map updates, steering wheel controls, SYNC, etc.
 
#6 ·
After using Hobdrive some, I have serious reservations about it.

First, although you can make minor changes to the size of the display font, the background graphic and there is a very small selection of gauge styles, it's basically completely inadequate. These layouts, fonts, gauges and backgrounds are pretty ugly, to be frank.

In addition, it has about 10 screens of data sets. You can't change what set of parameters are on any given screen, so you're stuck with screens of parameters that you mostly are not interested in.

Even worse, you don't even have complete control over which screens display. The three screens with hybrid information DO NOT display by default. You have to go to a menu to select any one of them, and if you then switch to any other screen, you lose the hybrid screen selection.

When you're driving, which is when you'd most want to use Hobdrive, you cannot safely monitor more than one or two parameters. Which probably are not on the same screen. So you have to switch screens. But navigating between screens is too distracting.

Why the creator of this app can't allow users, even of the paid version, to organize one or two screen sets of parameters of interest to them, displayed in attractive and at-a-glance readable graphics, is beyond me.

Until then, you should only use this app as a passenger. And because of that, the Scangauge still has plenty of reason to choose it.
 
#8 ·
I have Torque and FORscan. Seems basic as hell. What are "pids" and where do I get them and what do they do? :?
 
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