Idea bank: Driving the new OBD information highway

Over the years, the functions that can be diagnosed have expanded tremendously, said Mark Schaefer, director of marketing for tool manufacturer Snap-on Diagnostics, one of several independent tool makers that work in cooperation with automakers to deliver tools that can work with vehicles from multiple manufacturers. "In the past, each car may have had one or a few computers," says Schaefer. "Now you have 20 on a basic car and 70 on some models." To support new functionality, diagnostic tools regularly require new software updates — and may even need a memory upgrade.

Another new function that will be required on 2010 model year vehicles has already begun to show up on some current production models. That diagnostic adds a fourth system status, known as "permanent" to the previous three — pending, current and history.

The goal is to further enhance the diagnostic system's ability to prevent vehicles that do not fully meet emissions requirements from passing inspections, said Andrew Mutter, service technician supervisor for Toyota. When the diagnostic system detects an emissions-related problem, a permanent code is set. Depending on the problem, a technician may have to test drive the vehicle to clear the code. Some Toyotas, beginning with the 2008 model year, already support "permanent" status functionality, Mutter said.

Chrysler also continues to expand its diagnostic functions, said Nick Cappa, a company spokesman. "We have created tools tailor-made for hybrid systems to monitor an entirely new set of sensors and systems operation," he says. "As Chrysler begins to develop electric vehicles, the data will again shift."

The diagnostic information gathered through OnStar is a subset of the information available to dealers using a diagnostic scan tool but functionality supported continues to expand. "One of the things queued up for 2009 is a new diagnostic module for StabiliTrak," says Beth Foley, marketing manager for OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics, referring to GM's stability control system.

OnStar is available on the majority of GM models sold today and has been a differentiation point for the manufacturer. But other manufacturers are gearing up to offer similar functionality. "Wireless data transfer will make its way into vehicles going forward," says Cappa. "This technology has the potential to enable real-time, on-the-go data flow, improving quality and providing customers an additional service."

Chrysler is one of several manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz that plan to use a system from Hughes Telematics that will include two-way cellular communications and connect directly to the car's computer bus. "The vehicle now has the ability to remotely support the same diagnostics that are available to technicians in the service bay," explains Erik Goldman, president of Hughes Telematics.

That approach, he says, will enhance service bay efficiency by enabling technicians to determine which bay will be needed before the vehicle arrives in the shop. Technicians also may be able to pre-order any necessary parts.

"Where we're heading, if you look out a few years, is there will be repairs that can be done remotely over the air," says Goldman. Some vehicle recalls, for example, could be addressed via an over-the-air software download.

"The manufacturing community has come to the conclusion that it's not a question of if, it's a question of when all vehicles will be remotely connected," predicts Goldman. "By 2015, the majority will have remote connectivity."

The rise of manufacturer-provided wireless diagnostics, which funnel business to factory-affiliated dealers, could pose a competitive threat for independent automotive repair shops. How big that threat eventually becomes depends on whether or not a market develops for aftermarket systems that could be programmed to transmit diagnostic information to independent repair shops.

Hughes already is planning an aftermarket offering, although the company's main target — at least initially — is insurance companies and auto clubs. Insurance companies are interested in the product as a means of verifying how many miles a car is driven in a year, with the goal of offering lower rates to low-mileage vehicles. Goldman says the aftermarket product, targeted for availability "within a year or so," potentially could also support some diagnostic capability, which would be "a subset of what's capable with the factory-installed device." A limiting factor, he says, is that the aftermarket device will attach to the OBD port, rather than to the car's computer bus.

If insurance companies get involved, it will be critical to allay any concerns about Big Brother by making participation voluntary. "We operate on the basis that any information in the vehicle is owned by the owner of the vehicle," says Goldman.

Big Brother concerns also arise from another proposed use of wireless diagnostics. Some industry stakeholders have begun to use the term OBD-III to refer to a wireless diagnostic system that would send information about a vehicle's emissions control systems to authorities, perhaps in response to an information request sent wirelessly a certain number of days prior to the vehicle registration expiration date. That approach could minimize administrative costs and even reduce pollution, which can be a by-product of some of today's inspection methods. But privacy concerns have prevented policy makers from making any definitive moves in that direction.