making led strips react to when im parking

hi, a few days ago i got a bizarre idea, install underglow in my 2003 g35 and make it blink or do something different when my car transmission is set to parking.

i know the dashboard is aware when im parking but i dont really know whats going on, i was wondering if i can divide the dashboard parking cable into 2 then plug into an arduino and make it blink whenever that cable is sending current and when not, make it just static, also the arduino would have to be plugged to 12v straight from the motor so it doesn't stay active forever when i turn off the car.

im not into circuits or cars and i want to know if what i say is possible or logic if so, details

ty for your time

by Dr_arell
June 28, 2021

You may investigate the possibility of the car diagnostic code, if the g35 has that interface. Unfortunately, even if there is such an interface, it can produce propriatary code, if any, for the case that you try to detect. Maybe can you try to RENT a card reader to see if a code is emitted through the interface for the situation of interest. If so, it would next to be a matter to decode that interface for when it emits that code. Not necessary an easy task.

by vanderghast
June 30, 2021

1 Answer

Answer by Dr_arell

Thanks for replying.

I looked up and it seems that g35 has a 20-pin conector that plugs to the dashboard part that displays the state of the gearbox.

To my imagination, one of those cables carries electricity when the car is parking, i was just thinking, to attach and extension, kind of like a branch, to the cable that activates when parking. And just check if it has current or not with the arduino.

Is it really necessary to decode it? Maybe im confused and thats not how a 20-pin conector works.

+1 vote
by Dr_arell
June 30, 2021

That is the "port" for that interface presented as the "car diagnostic" interface.

The signal is digital and, probably, accordingly to a protocol, since it can report thousands of different events (such as the speed you are travelling or if you brake in urgency, it seems). That is the same interface which is used by some insurence companies to "reduce", or not, your primium.

Look for "car diagnostics software" in your internet browser, for examples about what this interface can report.

So I doubt that there is a single pin just for one exact purpose and that is why you probably need to "decode" the data that is transmitted.

by vanderghast
July 01, 2021

I just checked YouTube, and it seems that there are some videos about how to decode the signal. In particular, one of them is using a Raspberry Pi (which is somehow a mini PC, not just a micro controller). I haven't checked it yet, personnally, so I could not judge if it is sufficient or not: Car Diagnostics Raspberry

by vanderghast
July 01, 2021

There are OBDii (or OBD2) bridges as library for Arduino too. I have never checked any, though.

by vanderghast
July 01, 2021

Ty for the help, thats exactly what i wanted to know. :D

by Dr_arell
July 01, 2021

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