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Carista: VAG-specific diagnostics and coding through a smartphone app
We've just launched Carista for iOS! Until now, the app was only available for Android, but now iPhone and iPad users can get some Carista love too! See the links in my signature to get the app.
For those who don't know, Carista is a mobile app that allows you to personalize your in-car experience by changing electronic settings on all modules in the car. For example, you can enable closing your windows via long-pressing your remote, you can change your dash display language, change the way the parking sensors beep, etc. In addition, you can run full Audi-specific diagnostics on all ECUs in your car and find/reset fault codes in all of them (equivalent to what a dealer could do).
It's free to run the app and see what customization settings are available for your particular vehicle. If you want to be able to CHANGE customization values or run advanced VAG-specific diagnostics, you need the "Pro Package", which costs $19.99 USD and is a one-time in-app purchase that unlocks unlimited customizations and diagnostics on an unlimited number of cars.
what about hipsters? if I accidentally shrink all my pants, get an iphone, and grow a beard I'de like to know that I will still possess the ability to use this product.
what about hipsters? if I accidentally shrink all my pants, get an iphone, and grow a beard I'de like to know that I will still possess the ability to use this product.
You will indeed! I meant to say hipsters, not hippies This product is universally usable by all-size-pants-wearers.
You mention being able to do what dealers do, how does this compare function-wise to Ross-Techs' VCDS? Would I be able to remove the seat belt chime with your product, or re-enable the HVAC controls in the MMI display that were turned off by the dealer (for some unknown reason to me)?
How easy/difficult is it to change values for the coding? Is it similar to Ross-Tech's? Even simpler? More complicated?
If this is indeed able to compete with Ross-Tech, you would have a customer in me.
Very good idea and great if you are a multi vehicle manufacturer household. Saves having to fork out on multiple manufacturer specific systems for diagnostic info and simple customizations.
Although looking at the specs closer it doesn't appear to be anywhere as in-depth as the likes of VCDS, but then it isn't designed to be. It'll be fine for 95% of the tasks most folk use VCDS for. For example specific in depth module interrogation, adaptation and output testing doesn't appear to be currently supported. However as it evolves I'm sure a "pro" version will be available that does.
I already have VCDS, but I will buy this like a shot once the MINI support is released.
It'll also be handy to have a dongle handy for quick diagnostics rather having to faff around with a laptop and cable each time you want to see what's going on. Much more convenient for live data logging/monitoring too.
You mention being able to do what dealers do, how does this compare function-wise to Ross-Techs' VCDS? Would I be able to remove the seat belt chime with your product, or re-enable the HVAC controls in the MMI display that were turned off by the dealer (for some unknown reason to me)?
How easy/difficult is it to change values for the coding? Is it similar to Ross-Tech's? Even simpler? More complicated?
If this is indeed able to compete with Ross-Tech, you would have a customer in me.
It is definitely simpler to use than VCDS - you get a list of configurable settings and you can choose a new value for each from a list of available values. It's a couple of clicks per setting. You don't need to worry about modules, coding, bytes, bits, channels, or anything like that. We do all of that under the covers. Technically, we are able to do all adaptations and coding that dealer systems (and/or VCDS) can do, but we only expose things that we know work, and that are about changing your in-car user experience. For example, we don't currently offer "retrofit" coding for installing, say xenon headlights.
About the seat belt chime: looking at our config right now, it looks like we don't have that setting for the A8 D3. We do support it for most other VAG models, and it looks like we should be able to add it for the D3 in an upcoming release. About the HVAC controls: don't know what that setting refers to, but if VCDS can enable it, we should be able to do it too. Just need to research it a bit and configure it in our app. Do you have any links about it?
Originally Posted by dvs_dave
Very good idea and great if you are a multi vehicle manufacturer household. Saves having to fork out on multiple manufacturer specific systems for diagnostic info and simple customizations.
Although looking at the specs closer it doesn't appear to be anywhere as in-depth as the likes of VCDS, but then it isn't designed to be. It'll be fine for 95% of the tasks most folk use VCDS for. For example specific in depth module interrogation, adaptation and output testing doesn't appear to be currently supported. However as it evolves I'm sure a "pro" version will be available that does.
I already have VCDS, but I will buy this like a shot once the MINI support is released.
It'll also be handy to have a dongle handy for quick diagnostics rather having to faff around with a laptop and cable each time you want to see what's going on. Much more convenient for live data logging/monitoring too.
Exactly. It's not as in-depth as VCDS, but it's not intended to be a diagnostic tool for automotive professionals. It's intended for enthusiast drivers and even regular drivers who don't necessarily know what an ECU is, or what the difference between a byte and a bit is. Carista allows you to configure your car via an interface designed for humans. Look at our screen shots on the App Store and Google Play to see what I mean. Compare that to other products.
That said, yes, the product does evolve constantly, we do keep adding functionality, and we may in the future add a pro-oriented version. But one thing will remain true: we'll always treat the user interface with extremely high priority and we will always make sure that our product is intuitive and easy to use.
In terms of specific features, we're accenting on customizations (a.k.a. adaptations and coding) and diagnostics (i.e. reading and clearing fault codes). We don't support live data or output tests. We are currently working on adding service indicator reset functionality, as well as some other tools like opening the parking brake for rear brake pad replacement.
So yes, we do aim to support 95% of the stuff that people actually use. And note that our app costs $19.99. When you add the hardware, you're still under $40. Compare that to the competition.
Thanks for the info, very interesting to see how things develop. In regards to the HVAC not appearing, some links to threads with others having issues are attached. the main issue seems to be that when the MMI is updated to a newer version, certain aspects that once displayed on screen, no longer display. Some have said that these can be displayed with VCDS.
The service interval reset would be great and totally worth the money in itself. How often do you see software updates happen? Or how often do you plan to update the software functionality?
03-20-2015, 08:27 AM
Carista: VAG-specific diagnostics and coding through a smartphone app
This product is universally usable by all-size-pants-wearers.
