New Track Car DCT shifter (GWS)

[amg6975]

Since converting my car to mainly a track only car and removing the console I've been annoyed with the DCT shifter just hanging there and the Drivelogic and DSC/Power buttons being two sided taped to the trans tunnel. They work find in this configuration but they're hard to see with a helmet/HANS and just overall don't look as polished as I'd like.

Then I remembered I literally own a product development firm and could whip something up pretty easily.

I set out a few golden rules for the project:

• Do not permanently modify the OEM GWS
• Do not permanently modify any OEM wiring
• Create a buffered CAN bus for data logging so loggers and such can not interfere with the PT-CAN
• Create a hub for AIM equipment
• Add actual Park functionality

I went looking around and came across the AIM K8 Open button panel. This looks like it would be perfect for my application. This is great because I already use a couple different AIM products in the car, and I can even set configuration opens in RaceStudio so the K8 can configure the custom board without having to develop any sort of UI.

I'm an Electrical Engineer by schooling and trade so the next thing I did was fire up Altium and create a board that will accomplish all of the above. It will interface to all the OEM wiring and buttons, emulate the OEM GWS including diagnostic messages and errors (that won't exist.)



Other than GWS CAN messages it's read-only on the PT-CAN, it then buffers all the useful CAN packets onto a completely separate CAN buss I've been calling DL-CAN. The K8 also sits on this and transmits the button presses to the custom board where it tells the transmission what to do.

The eight buttons are:

• Park
• Neutral
• Reverse
• Drive
• DSC
• Power
• DL+
• DL-

AIM is making a few new inserts for the ones that are missing but they had off-the-shelf ones that were close enough for me to know what they are (see below)

I've been working with a guy that knows a lot about the DCT software to enable the "park" command found on every non-M car. The logic is in the software, it just [probably] needs to be turned on. It may also just work on the stock software but that's TBD. I'm hoping that at worst case with a quick DCT flash we can have real actually park functionality.

The car-side interface uses an off-the-shelf TE connector that uses the same pins as the OEM connectors so you'll have to repin the wire harness but won't have to permanently modify any wires, it will all be [kind of] plug and play.

I also added on a generic data logger CAN port to easily interface with any flying lead can cable for any type of equipment.

Lastly, I built in a three-port 5-pin AIM CAN expansion that will also power three AIM accessories. I figure, data logger, camera, GPS... should be pretty nice. There is built in over-current protection on each port so the car side should be safe from any tom foolery on the accessory side.

Next up was time to fire up the mechanical CAD and the 3D printer to start trying to find a solution that would work. This is where I spent more time struggling as I'm not really a Mechanical Engineer and finding a workable solution that doesn't permanently modify the GWS base, is structurally stable, and can be 3D printed has been a pain but I think I'm pretty much there.





Last things I need to do are get a final material printed, likely either carbon reenforced PET or some Nylon flavor. I'm still waiting on the final PCBs to come in, then I'll have to write some quick firmware and get to testing. I'll keep updating this as I go.

I'm not sure if this is something I'm going to want to commercialize but I've been making it all so it would be a super easy DIY install just in case. I may make up a couple of them if anyone really wants to be a test dummy, let me know.

Anyway, open to thoughts, ideas, suggestions as well.

[omgzirra_exe]

NEET!

imagine taking fastest lap of the day by pressing + and - lmfao

[amg6975]

The + and - are for drivelogic, AIM is making DL+ and DL- button faces. I don’t intend to have up/down shift on this, that’s what paddles are for, I can’t imagine anyone actually using the lever on a track car.

[mikerunt]

I would love to buy one of these for my car if available. Please PM me!

[kolosy]

lol @ "then i remembered i run a product company"

also -- nice work!

[amg6975]

Today's update is I got a housing printed in Carbon Fiber reenforced PET which I think will be the final material. Should be plenty capable of handing any temperature a car could throw at it, and is extremely strong, and looks great.

I also set up a quick demo of the ECU CAN connection where I used a toolless connector so you can quickly wire in any logger to a fully protected connection. Both power and CAN are buffered and can't affect the car in any way.




The 5-pin AIM connection could also be routed through the shifter base if you also needed a GPS or whatever else added on. Those ports are also power and CAN isolated.

[amg6975]

Also of note, the button status' are on the external CAN as well. I'm hoping to develop a plug-and-play solution with the SW4 steering wheel, so the shifter buttons could be remapped to the wheel, and a PDM could be added so any steering wheel or shifter panel buttons could control custom functions.

[e92BMW///M3]

That is a very cool solution.

[maicol76]

This is a very interesting development. I'm ready to apply this system on my track only car at any time.

[amg6975]

Alright, more interest than I thought there would be (any is more than I thought I'd get) so I've been doing a lot more thinking of what this could turn in to. GWS boards should be in house in the next two weeks and I'll try to get firmware up and going quickly to show off how this will all work.

A couple things I'd like to get opinions on:

-A version for cars that still have a console. What I can do is map the four bottom buttons as generic outputs that could be used with your existing AIM logger, dash, PDM, etc. Or you can just abandon the stock buttons if you want to use the ones on the panel so they're easier to find/press when harnessed in and such.

-I want to make a plug-and-play solution for AIM steering wheels that would actually allow the removal of the turn signal and wiper stalks, and be quick release.

I'd love to hear how you guys would like to use something like that and whether you'd like to have an SW4 with a screen and logger and then just keep the stock cluster, or would you like to have a GT32 wheel and separate dash/logger.

Couple other things I have in mind are PDM integration, and a plug-and-play dash/surround that has the right outputs for the rest of the car to be happy.

I think my new overarching goal here is really to make interfaces for the OEM M3 modules/harness that allow the integration of AIM gear with no permanent modifications to the car, and then make it easy to configure your AIM system however you want it to work with my integrations.

[roastbeef]

that is a pretty nice solution. i'd also love a solution that houses the dct "level" rocker and maybe the dsc/power/edc buttons.

[tdott]

pretty cool, I won't be going full race car with my M3.

But I really like the add on board with the "power and CAN are buffered". I guess it wouldn't make sense to have something like that if you are not removing the GWS right?

Originally Posted by amg6975

I think my new overarching goal here is really to make interfaces for the OEM M3 modules/harness that allow the integration of AIM gear with no permanent modifications to the car, and then make it easy to configure your AIM system however you want it to work with my integrations.

Yes I think this is what I would be interested in.

[RalliartRsX]

Very interested. However attachments are only allowed to be viewed by moderators

Pinning this to return to it. My car is caged full race car so yeah. Wanted a clean way to remove center console

[amg6975]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

that is a pretty nice solution. i'd also love a solution that houses the dct "level" rocker and maybe the dsc/power/edc buttons.

Yeah, that was the idea. I have these switches VHB taped to my trans tunnel and can't see them once I'm strapped in so it's a PITA.

Originally Posted by tdott

pretty cool, I won't be going full race car with my M3.

But I really like the add on board with the "power and CAN are buffered". I guess it wouldn't make sense to have something like that if you are not removing the GWS right?

Yes I think this is what I would be interested in.

Yes, This is in the works as we speak. I actually discovered a pretty serious hardware flaw in the AIM button panel that would have been really bad if it were wired directly into any of the car's CAN busses.

This is slowing the progress of the system but also made me realize that I really need to make a simple buffer unit to separate the car's systems from data logging devices/systems. Everyone should have something like this between their car and data logger.

Originally Posted by RalliartRsX

Very interested. However attachments are only allowed to be viewed by moderators

Pinning this to return to it. My car is caged full race car so yeah. Wanted a clean way to remove center console

I'm hoping to have something available more towards the fall/winter car prep season. I was on-track to have something ready to go on my car in the next couple weeks but that got delayed.

[amg6975]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

that is a pretty nice solution. i'd also love a solution that houses the dct "level" rocker and maybe the dsc/power/edc buttons.

Wait, can no one see the attachments at all? These are all on there.

Originally Posted by tdott

pretty cool, I won't be going full race car with my M3.

But I really like the add on board with the "power and CAN are buffered". I guess it wouldn't make sense to have something like that if you are not removing the GWS right?

Yes I think this is what I would be interested in.

What interface do you think would make most sense to have as the output interface? Do you like the green toolless connector I have above?

[spammysammich]

The post on 21 August isn’t displaying the attached photos correctly.

[amg6975]

Originally Posted by spammysammich

The post on 21 August isn’t displaying the attached photos correctly.

Ah ok, that's not a big deal. Just options for the future.

[mikerunt]

I’m very excited for this.

[amg6975]

The CAN and power buffer is very close to completion. Should be non E90 specific and work on any modern BMW's PT-CAN. The connectors and pig tails will make it all completely plug and play without permanently modifying your car's wire harness and is 100% reversable.

On a manual car you'll want to install it at the JBBF or NFRM, on an auto you can also install it at the GWS. Whatever seems best for you. It's going to have the ability to pass through power and will allow you to pull up to 1A from it if it's wired in directly to the module's power supply. If you wire up an aux 12V in, it will allow external devices to pull 5A.

This also isolates the CAN terminations and maintains the car's CAN bus's physical geometries to keep noise and reflections the same as the factory modules are expecting.

Why this is important? Well, here's a scope capture of a CAN bus with a commercially available module wired into it:



Here is the CAN bus after that device was isolated:



I know which trace I'd rather have my car's critical systems running on...

[tdott]

Originally Posted by amg6975

What interface do you think would make most sense to have as the output interface? Do you like the green toolless connector I have above?

Yes that looks clean, as long as it gives a reliable connection.
Really anything the allows a secure / strong enough connection to the can+/-, pwr/gnd wires.

[amg6975]

Here's a sneak peak at the CAN/Power Buffer unit.

• Can be powered from harness power or Aux 12V
• Dynamically limits power based on power input
• Isolates CAN from car's systems
• Two ports for external devices
• Selector switch to have external power either always on (or switched if the 12V is switched) or turn on/off with CAS wake up signal
• Lots of power filtering and load dump/brown out suppression
• 100% reversable and no permanent modification to the car's harness necessary.

[mikerunt]

Originally Posted by amg6975

Here's a sneak peak at the CAN/Power Buffer unit.


Can be powered from harness power or Aux 12V
Dynamically limits power based on power input
Isolates CAN from car's systems
Two ports for external devices
Selector switch to have external power either always on (or switched if the 12V is switched) or turn on/off with CAS wake up signal
Lots of power filtering and load dump/brown out suppression
100% reversable and no permanent modification to the car's harness necessary.


Attachment 3555702

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