When will "such-n-such" make/vehicle be supported? What is taking so long? Date?
The 12 step program to supporting new vehicles:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay@HPTuners
This is one of many reasons that we cannot offer release dates to the public when we are in the development cycle.
I would like to give you an idea of the process that must be gone through to develop the product and will try to do so in non-technical terms:
1 Purchase the vehicle computers (or the vehicle if necessary) for a given application-keep in mind, this is done after we know what computers are in what vehicle etc. This alone can take a significant amount of time.
2 Design hardware that will communicate with the computer.
3 Electronically break into the computer by cracking the electronic security combination. This may be destructive, and we may "blow up" several computers. Some of these cost over 1000 each, and others just plain aren't available-which will cause development delays. To estimate how much time spent here is next to impossible as there must be a "breakthrough". It's the aha! moment, and figuring out when that will be isn't possible. There isn't much development that can proceed until this step is overcome.
4 Figure out how to read the computer-similar issue to number 3.
5 Figure out how to write to the computer-similar issue to number 3.
6 Read as many computers as possible to get as many operating systems as possible. This is usually the first beta test stage. We don't know how many Operating Systems need to be supported until we are completed with this step.
7 Reverse Engineer each individual Operating System. We need to figure out where the tables are, and what each table does, as well as where each switch is etc. This can take 1 to 6 months per operating system. Usually, once the first one is figured out, the next ones are easy for the same processor.
8 Determine what PIDS are available for scanning, how we need to acquire them etc.
9 Write the software to handle the information that we have discovered.
10 Beta Test
11 Fix Bugs
12 Release
That's our twelve step program! Please keep in mind, this needs to be done with every new computer processor, and we are dealing with at least 4 or 5 different computer processors for the Dodge products for 2001-2007.
Also, We may find something in step 10, that brings us back to step 3, 4, or 5. Further, if we are not thorough enough and do as has been suggested and release a product that is somewhat functional, but not ready, our customers may end up with a vehicle with a bombed computer, voided warranty, etc. Therefore we cannot release a partially tested product, regardless of the demand. One customer stranded with a failed product is too many!
Also, this lengthy process is the reason that we are not able to offer coverage for less popular applications where there will be significant development time.
Jay
HPTuners
