Isn't there some way to incorporate the digital gauges of the apps that display things like engine temperature, oil pressure, voltmeter...into the existing nav screen instead of having to have a non permanent display like a phone. It would seem that someone more talented than I could figure out a connection that would allow this to happen, so that you could change screens like you do for the phone, climate control, radio, etc...to the gauge screen. It just doesn't seem like it would be that hard. I know I would be willing to pay significantly to have the peace of mind of knowing what the hell was going on in my car.

 

I'm sure if it could be done, there would be a line around the corner.

 

In the same way that it's possible to substitute the nav display (which is a separate dedicated video feed, not part of the main infotainment system) with the image from a rear-view camera, it should be possible to replace it with the display from another source. What you'd need is:

• An OBD II reader.
• A tablet or smartphone running the app you want to interpret the OBD output.
• An output device to get a video feed from the phone/tablet.
• A converter to take that video feed and put it into a form that can be displayed on the car's screen.
• A video switch unit that allows you to select either the nav unit feed or the new feed.

I'm sure it's do-able, but at what cost and how much faffing about would be needed to get it to work, I don't know. I'll see if I can do a little research...

 

It's got to be less expensive than losing an engine (as the previous owner of my car did). I would bet that there would be thousands not dozens of XK/XKR owners that would want the option of flipping to a new screen to see if they were close to overheating, or if they had oil or oil pressure (without having to wait 20 minutes in their car after it's been shut off, what Jaguar genius thought this was more convenient than a dipstick?!). I'd be first in line at anything at or below $2000.00. I'll be taking my car to the track, I want to know what the hell is going on under the hood without having to reach for a cell phone!

 

If anyone can do it, I bet WhiteXKR can! I have Steve's remote top kit with the optional rear window control (installed myself) and he is an incredible engineer.

Steve, are you reading this? What do you think?

Stuart

 

I know this may not be a very elegant solution, but it is portable, many OBDII data streams can be continuously read and codes can be cleared. Just something to consider....

ScanGaugeII : Linear Logic - Home of the ScanGauge

 

While I'd prefer integrated gauges that would appear on the nav screen, this Scangauge tool might at least give me peace of mind. I may try it.

 

Having a cord is the only throwback I see on this device. I'm not big on exposed wires.

 

Back in 2011, I added a video gauge display to my 2001 XKR factory navigation screen:





It has been great. It uses OBDII data for coolant temperature, voltage, intake temperature. For oil pressure, supercharger boost and supercharger coolant temperature there is no OBDII data available, so additional sensors were added to monitor these functions. It is based on a device called the HKS CAMP II. I have a switch on the dash that switches between the navigation display and the gauges. A video adapter is used to convert the standard composite analog video from the HKS to the RGB video that the factory screen that a 2001 X100 XK/XKR with navigation uses.


Fast forward to today and an X150 XK/XKR. The HKS CAMP II has been out of production for over 2 years now. Occasionally a used one comes up on ebay, but you need to be patient. To interface it to the X150, which has a different video standard, you need a GVIF adapter such as GVIF car video interface for Lexus, Toyota, Land Rover, Cadillac, Jaguar

Perhaps a better and more up to date solution is to use this system: https://plxdevices.com/product_info.php?id=GSST2WIFI .
It also has provisions for sensors for functions such as oil pressure which are not available over OBDII. As Ngarara suggested, you would need to dedicate an old iphone or tablet to use this with the factory screen and get an video adapter for the iphone/tablet. Then you would feed the video into the GVIF adapter mentioned above to use the factory screen.

The above should work, but there are at least a couple of issues/questions that would need to be worked out:
-Setting up the iphone to power up and down with the vehicle automatically.
-limitations on video quality through conversions between formats (iphone to analog video to GVIF)

I do not have a firm timetable, but I do hope to take on this project at some point in the not too distant future.

 

In our 150s though, that touch screen is EVERYTHING to the car. Climate Control / Radio / Seat heaters... if you've got to get an iphone/ipad anyway, just get a suction mount for an iphone and put it on the window and maybe use Bluetooth to stream the ODB data?

 

There is a touchscreen 'mimic' device made by this company: Control all your smartphone apps from your cars touchscreen. I do not have personal expereience with it, but it looks interesting.