Mario James, Gleaner Writer

The (at sides) modules are called vehicle intelligence modules. They are basically a big version of a Bluetooth dongle. The laptop is called a tough book, and is designed to take horrendous abuse. - Photo by Mario James

Diagnostic procedures have stepped up a notch with the introduction of a new wireless Bluetooth system developed by the Japanese automaker, Nissan.

Bluetooth, a computer communications protocol and hardware lash-up made popular by mobile phones, has found its way into the internals of your everyday vehicle. In days gone by, automotive scan tools were used to poll a car's ECM (electronic control module) for fault codes that were numerical, and had to be checked/correlated on chart to decipher what the code meant. With this new system, a Bluetooth dongle is attached to the vehicles on-board communication port, and the fault codes translated and read on a PC!

Joseph Elliot, service manager at Fidelity Motors, has intimated that a Fidelity/Nissan WiFi (satellite) communication system will soon be online in Jamaica, and that he will be able to tell when customers cars are malfunctioning before they do! But for now, the system is only able to cover a four-metre area.

The system will poll the car's computer for all codes, mileage since last service and other vital data that the technician needs to know to provide accurate diagnoses. If the days of the shade-tree mechanic were numbered before, they are just about up now.

Mechanics working on this level of vehicle have to be JAGAS certified and have to have passed an aptitude test before they are allowed to work in most dealerships and because the equipment involved is so expensive (even for dealerships) and proprietary, it will be difficult for private minded individuals to get their hands on it. This system makes diagnosis a breeze with online flow charting and system-by-system conformation of the work as it proceeds. Real hi-tech stuff!

mario.james@gleanerjm.com

This little tidbit from the Web

"By the way if, you're wondering where the Bluetooth name originally came from, it named after a Danish Viking and King, Harald Blatand (translated as Bluetooth in English), who lived in the latter part of the 10th century. Harald Blatand united and controlled Denmark and Norway (hence the inspiration on the name: uniting devices through Bluetooth). He got his name from his very dark hair which was unusual for Vikings, Blatand means dark complexion. However, a more popular (but less likely reason) was that Old Harald had a inclination towards eating Blueberries, so much so his teeth became stained with the colour, leaving Harald with a rather unique set of molars!"

http://www.palowireless.com/infotooth/whatis.asp