The Future of Diagnostic Tools

1
The Future of Diagnostic Tools

• Charlie Gorman
• Equipment Tool Institute
• November 4, 2003
• http//www.etools.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid2
  132

2
Diagnostic Progression

• Diagnostics through Symptom analysis
• Diagnostics through logical test progression
• Automation of logical test progression
• On-Board Diagnostics
• Guided fault analysis or Guided Diagnostics

3
Old School Diagnostics

• The birth of Diagnostic procedure Using equipment
  in the Late 1930s
• Find out whats wrong by verifying whats right.

4
Late 70s Early 80s

• An early example that attempted to provide an
  automatic diagnostic procedure using computerized
  equipment in the late 70s
• This system still verifies whats right in order
  to determine what might be wrong.

5
On-Board Diagnostics

• Vehicle diagnoses itself
• Scan tool simply reveals what is stored within
  the vehicle.
• Data Stream information
• Trouble Codes
• Functional Tests
• Freeze Frame Data
• Early systems were quite limited
• Current systems are very robust

6
Where does Diagnostics start?

• In the late 80s and early 90s it depended what
  equipment was being sold.
• Gas Analyzer
• Scan Tool
• Engine Analyzer
• Injector Cleaning System equipment
• Whole Training Programs revolved around specific
  equipment.

7
Scan Tool Advantage

• Diagnostics are on vehicle. This reduces tool
  costs
• Now whats wrong can be identified without
  eliminating whats right
• OEM strategies automatically included
• Will improve each year because of (X by wire)
• X by wire requires redundant systems
• Redundant systems enhance the capabilities of OBD.

8
The Clear Winner and Still Champion

• Scan Tools

So Now what? If you add another communication
line to a scan tool and hook it up to a PC. You
have a device that will do what a scan tool does
and much more. Enter the pass through
reprogramming device.
9
Pass Through Reprogramming
SAE J2534 Device
10
Connection between SAE J2534 Device and the
Vehicle

• Must use common connector
• Must use standardized protocols

• Non-emission protocols coming later
• Note This portion of the configuration is
  similar to current scan tools

11
Connection between J2534 Device and the PC
SAE J2534 Device

• This is the portion of the system that makes a
  pass through device different from a scan tool
  device.
• The connection can be anything as long as it is
  PC friendly (Serial, USB, Fire Wire, 802.11x,
  Bluetooth, etc)
• Device manufacturers must supply a device driver
  to the PC that will work with the API provided by
  the OEM

12
Calibration Sources
The OEM program that Retrieves, manipulates And
delivers the Calibration to the vehicle Also
comes from one Of these sources and is stored on
the PC.
13
Guided Fault Analysis or Guided Diagnostics

• There are OEM projects that look a lot like pass
  through reprogramming, but have a very different
  purpose.
• Instead of passing down calibrations, why not
  pass down diagnostic routines
• Electronic manuals, wiring diagrams and TSBs can
  be combined with ECM communications and analog
  readings to form a diagnostic package. And the
  whole thing can be controlled through the
  internet.

14
Guided Diagnostic System
SAE J2534 Device
15
Guided Diagnostics and the Aftermarket

• If an OEM does not use manuals either paper or
  electronic, what is their internet obligation to
  aftermarket shops?
• Is it enough to make OEM guided diagnostics
  available through aftermarket J2534 devices? Is
  this what is going to happen?
• What about third party information providers like
  Alldata and Mitchell One? How do you streamline
  or edit guided diagnostics?

16
EPA has put some protections in place

• Any manufacturer who utilizes an automated
  process in their manufacturer-specific scan tool
  for
• diagnostic fault trees
• data schema
• detail specifications, including
• category types/codes
• vehicle codes
• data format/content
• structure of the diagnostic trouble trees
• can satisfy the requirement to provide
  information to third party information providers
  by making available diagnostic trouble trees on
  their manufacturer Web sites in full-text.

17
So what does the future Hold?

• Pass through scan tools will be a reality
• What is unknown is what will be passed through.
• OEM content will definitely be passed through.
• Third party content is less certain.

18
Other Tools

• Inexpensive single purpose scan tools
• Pinion Factor used for allowing different size
  tires without messing up the speedometer
• Tire pressure sensor tools used for identifying
  transducers after replacement or tire rotation
• Consumer preference settings

19
Other Tools

• Communication gateways for non-repair OBD access.
• Collision event recorder data recovery
• Fleet management tools
• Vehicle Locator, tracker
• Maintenance tracker
• Abuse tracking
• Theft deterrence including vehicle shut off
• OBD III, or Government emissions failure
  notification