Personal Vehicle Diagnostic Interpreter

PVDI personal vehicle diagnostic interpreter

Personal Vehicle Diagnostic Interpreter


Automobile Repair Complaints

• # 1 Automobile dealers - new and used• # 3 Auto repair shops• # 9 Automobile dealers - used only

These three total 34,316 complaints for 1998.

Better Business Bureau http://216.46.241.4/advertising/alerts/20000201.asp


Auto Repair Fraud

• Charging for repairs that were never done• Replacing brand new parts• Replacing more parts than necessary• Some stores implicated : Sears, Midas, Montgomery Ward, K-Mart Auto Center,

Goodyear*

• Estimated $5 billion annual cost**

* www.carinfo.com/repair2.html** California Department of Consumer Affairs, October 27, 1999


Project Team

• Mike Raines– Project Manager

• Stephanie Crumb– Software Engineer,

Secretary

• Han Yi– Hardware Analyst

• El Hammouchi M. Hicham– Hardware Analyst

• Jen Daniels– Webmaster,

Graphic Designer, Project Coordinator


Pros

• Easy to install and operate• Reduce anxiety, stress, and inconvenience• Increase personal safety• Reduce mistaken &/or fraudulent repairs • Save money on some motor vehicle repairs • Aid auto parts retail salespersons• Make a nice profit for the project team and

investors


About the PVDIWhat’s up with that pesky

yellow light?

Helpful to auto parts stores

Easy to use

demo!PVDI is a handheld diagnostic tool made for regular everyday folks


Cons

• User may misinterpret the messages

• User may replace wrong parts• Another theft opportunity• Doesn’t work on cars made before

1995


Scope

• Only post 1995 cars• Supports OBD II protocol only• Not a mechanics substitute • Not a common sense substitute• Not supercede owners manual


Risks

• Competition beats us to the market• Hardware cost more than initially

thought • Lack of demand• Cost too much, consumers won’t

want it • Contractor/supplier delays• New codes for cars added


Budget

Contractor development staff:

• 2 Programmers - $4K/month each - $48K*

• 1 Electrical Engineer - $4K/month - $24K*

• 1 mechanic - $2K/month - $4K• Technical writer - $43K**

* Belfore, Dr. Lee A. Personal interview. 09 October 2000.

** www.technicalwriter.computerjobs.com


Budget (cont’d)Consulting staff:

• 1 senior marketing consultant & advertising - $200K*

• Tech Support - $25K per person/year**

• 1-800 Number - $1,800 Month (10 cents a min, open 8am-6pm)

• Lawyer $18K part-time* Sergio Diehl. EDO corp. Marketing manager. Personal interview. 12 October 2000. Sharon Villines. Medical Marketing Inc. Personal interview. 11 October 2000.** Raj Mayur. Tech support at Gateway. 14 October 2000.† AT&T customer service representative. Phone interview. 3 October 2000.

Sprint Sales Representative. Phone Interview. 3 October 2000.


Hardware Budget

• OBD-2 cable/connector - $40*

• Special-purpose processor - $10**

• LCD device - $45 †

• RS232 interface - $65‡

• Additional memory - $8/4 megs †

* www2.ari.net/avt-inc** Belfore, Dr Lee A. Personal interview. 09 October 2000† www.jameco.com‡ http://www.bb-europe.com/sercardchart.asp


Development Budget

• 5 Personal computers - $6K*

• 1 AVT-716 multiple interface RST32 development tool - $1680**

* CompUSA service representative. Personal interview. 14 October 2000** www2.ari.net/avt-inc


Marketing Info

• Large chain auto parts retailers• Later, car manufacturers• Break even @ 55 per state • 130 million passenger vehicles in

the states*• Release date 18 months after 1st

prototype• www.bts.gov/ntda/nts/NTS99/data/Chapter1/1-9.html


• Addresses societal problems• Offers solutions to reduce these

problems• Can be built• Can be profitable• Should be built

Conclusion

Personal Vehicle Diagnostic Interpreter

Documents

Transcript of Personal Vehicle Diagnostic Interpreter