Join the community - be a Citizen Scientist!

enviroCar allows you to use your car’s sensor data to investigate the impact that your driving style has on environmental factors such as fuel consumption, CO₂ levels, and noise emissions. You and your friends can compare your driving statistics and you can compete to become the most efficient driver while also reducing your car’s running costs!

Share your data with the enviroCar Citizen Science Community and collaborate with other citizens, scientists and urban planners investigating such questions as what the effective spatial characteristics of fuel consumption are in your city, how traffic planning can be optimized to reduce emissions effectively and what we can learn from average speed maps.

enviroCar is an extremely valuable new environmental information resource. Join the community and help to make our world a little smarter, the flow of traffic smoother and less stressful, and economic driving more fun!

The enviroCar platform

The enviroCar platform comprises four components: the enviroCar server, a standard OBD-II adapter, the enviroCar website and Android app.

The website and app display information relating to driving costs. You can anonymously contribute your data to the enviroCar community; when you upload your vehicle data received from the OBD-II adapter, you can compare it with other people's data and view individually generated maps and graphs of your trips. The enviroCar community forms an open hub for traffic and vehicle data which is anonymous, free of charge and accessible to everyone. The information it provides benefits urban planning and environmental research. enviroCar is our way of allowing people to share their car’s data and create a smarter future. With your help, enviroCar has the chance to change the way citizens influence urban planning!

                                                   enviroCar architecture

Adapter

enviroCar uses a plug-in OBD-II adapter to access the data generated by the various sensors in your car. The enviroCar app connects automatically to the OBD-II adapter via Bluetooth and reads out vehicle parameters, such as current fuel consumption or engine speed. In this way, enviroCar can accurately evaluate your driving costs, compute emitted CO₂ and even estimate the level of noise generated by your car.

A conventional, inexpensive OBD2 adapter can be easily plugged into your free accessible vehicle’s diagnostic port to connect your car with your smartphone.

Website and community

Anyone can visit the enviroCar community website and access anonymous data as well as derived information products. enviroCar´s information products can be helpful in many ways. Traffic speed maps show you the average speed of traffic in the street where you live, for example. Traffic density maps can help concerned parents find a safer way to school for their children. Maps that visualize noise and particulate emissions in particular suburban areas are a great information source for people who are house hunting, for example.

Example of a heat map visualizing the noise levels generated by traffic..

Example of a speed map visualizing the your speed levels generated by your driving.

The data also helps urban planners and scientists to improve traffic flow, optimize traffic light phases, modify the layout of "Environmental Zones" and evaluate the impact of traffic calming, for example.

Logistics companies can use our products to optimize their routes and avoid delays caused by traffic jams.

                          Graphical data visualization on the enviroCar website.

Registered users are able to upload and share the data they generate and thus become a core part of the enviroCar community. The more people join, the more comprehensive our database will be and the more comprehensive will be enviroCar’s capabilities in delivering information to users. Users are able to compare their own traffic data with that of friends and others. This will encourage them to improve their driving style - badges are even awarded for good driving skills. It also encourages them to use social network features, like inviting friends and creating groups and they can share data easily with friends via Twitter and Facebook.

                        Route visualization for a registered user on enviroCars website.

The enviroCar App

The enviroCar app is compatible with your Android smartphone (versions 2.3 to 4.2.2). Its data comes from the Bluetooth OBD2 adapter, combined with additional data supplied by the smartphone sensors, such as GPS position. This means that a wide range of useful features are available.

The current enviroCar prototype is illustrated below.

Scanned Data, such as vehicle speed, CO₂ emission, fuel consumption, consumption-related costs, noise level and more are visualized by the app in real time as well as a detailed list of your recent tracks.

You will also be able to manage your cars in your personal garage.

Related projects

There are a number of other successful OBD-related projects, but these differ considerably from enviroCar.

The moj.io project uses the OBD-II interface to connect the smartphone with the car using a proprietary adapter. The system displays personal data and driving information.

The "TORQUE engine performance and diagnostic tool for automotive professionals and enthusiasts" displays a car’s sensor data, measures vehicle performance and locates any problems that may occur.

There are other projects that use OBD-II Bluetooth adapters in combination with smartphone apps. They mainly focus on displaying car sensor data, one example being OBD DROIDSCAN PRO, or they concentrate on the user´s personal driving experience, like hobDrive and automatic.com.

enviroCar, however, focuses on the benefits to people and the environment that can be created by analysing the collected data. But of course enviroCar displays the relevant information you want to know. Moreover, it is unique in that the data generated is made available to the public, offering people a chance to become citizen scientists.

Who we are

We are a group of about 28 enthusiasts - students, researchers and software engineers - from the Institute for Geoinformatics and the 52°North open source initiative in Münster, Germany.

Where we are at the moment

Currently we are developing all aspects of the system: the smartphone app, website and server. We are working on each component simultaneously to ensure that the beta version is ready for release by July. We have already identified what special features should be incorporated in the app and the website. Community-based interaction will be just one of the really cool characteristics of enviroCar. However, we are still in the development process, which means that you have the chance to get involved in its progress.

What we need and what you get

We need you to cooperate with the project and share your data with us for the benefit of your community - of course anonymously: Smarter cities aren’t just based on innovative technologies, but also on people who are willing to participate - people like you!

In return...:

• …you will receive great perks in return for your donation.
• ...you will gain access to several features via the website and mobile app that will help you to improve your driving as well as saving you money.
• ...you will share your data with scientists and the general public. We will analyze the data collected to calculate CO₂ emissions etc. and improve traffic light phasing

How you can help

By making a donation, you will be helping the indiegogo campaign to achieve its aim of raising €10,000 to fund our ongoing work. Your donation will ensure that the enviroCar has a future.

In addition to your donation, we would ask you to “like” enviroCar on Facebook or “follow” us on Twitter. Talk about this project with your friends and family, write about us, and write about enviroCar in your favourite online channels.

Feel free to contact us and give us your feedback. We look forward to hearing your opinion!

Where you can find us

Find us on Twitter, Facebook and on our official website www.envirocar.org. The enviroCar platform will be online soon!

Thank you for your interest in enviroCar!

FAQ

Q: How does it work?

A: The OBD2 adapter enables enviroCar to receive your car’s data by pairing your smartphone via Bluetooth with the adapter. The smartphone app analyzes and parses the data, displaying the information you wish to see you both in the app and on the enviroCar website.

Q: How do I get started? What are the requirements?

A: Plug your OBD2 adapter into the on-board diagnostic (OBD) port of your car. Download & install the app, pair it with your adapter and you’re ready to be a part of the enviroCar community.

Q: Which OBD-II adapters are compatible with enviroCar?

A: enviroCar uses an OBD-II adapter, which you can easily connect to your car to access data generated by the various vehicle sensors. The enviroCar app installed on your Android smartphone connects automatically to the OBD-II adapter via Bluetooth and reads out car parameters, such as current fuel consumption and engine speed.

There are many OBD-II adapters currently on the market and their prices range from about 18 EUR (23 USD) up to 150 EUR (200 USD). The OBD-II community has a lot of experience with these adapters, and theoretically most of them should work fine (take a look >here< for more details). Please be aware that national laws require products to have appropriate certification certificates (CE, ECE in Europe). Unfortunately most of these adapters are sold without such certificates. We are currently working on this issue and will provide more information and recommendations as and when.

Q: Is my car supported?

A: In general, the following rule applies: all cars sold from 01.01.1996 must be fitted with the OBD-II interface.

In Europe, all new cars with a petrol engine sold from 01.01.2001 that comply with the EURO-3 standard must have the OBD-II interface. Diesel vehicles sold from 01.01.2003 support OBD-II. For trucks, OBD-II support began on 1. January 2005

You can also have a look >here<.

Q: Why do we need Indiegogo backers?

A: The aim of indiegogo is to help us raise €10,000 for our future work. Your donation will ensure that enviroCar has a future and your data as well as everybody else's remains available for use.  Help us, so that students and citizens and general can continue to contribute to this project.

Q: What about privacy and security?

A: Of course we are aware of your privacy concerns. You can be sure that all of you data that can be accessed by others is anonymous, so nobody will be able to collect any sensitive, specific or personal information about your usage. We take your privacy very seriously.

Q: When will enviroCar be available to the public?

A: So far we have implemented the first prototypes of the app and the website. The beta version will be released in July 2013 and will have more features and useful functions for you to use. The first operational release is scheduled for autumn 2013.

Q: Can we ship to your country?

A: We can ship to all countries.