With all of the technology in newer cars, many of them have 24/7 network connectivity and an API. I figured I would see if I could get access to the API on mine and how I could pair that with a Large Language Model (LLM).
Discovering the Capabilities
I now have an AI agent that can check how much gas I have, if the doors are closed, vehicle location, current speed it’s traveling at, tire pressure, mileage, etc. It’s actually crazy how much info you can retrieve at any moment! Even crazier, it can also lock and unlock the doors as well as remotely start the vehicle to run for various lengths of time.
Future Integrations
My hopes are that this will eventually integrate with my calendars and additional AI agents to plan out gas stops on trips, automatically trigger the remote start based on when I need to leave and the current temperature, schedule maintenance, and use it as a safety mechanism to automatically report any unplanned movements or excessive speeds.
Getting Started
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API Access: The first step was getting access to the car’s API. Many modern vehicles come with extensive documentation on their developer portals. Check with your car manufacturer to see if they offer an API and how you can gain access.
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Creating the AI Agent: I used a combination of a Large Language Model (LLM) and custom scripts to create an AI agent. This agent can query the car’s API and interpret the data in a meaningful way.
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Integrating with Smart Home Devices: To make the AI agent more useful, I integrated it with my smart home setup. This way, the car can interact with other devices, such as thermostats and security systems, to provide a seamless experience.
Practical Applications
- Remote Monitoring: With the AI agent, I can check the status of my car from anywhere. This includes fuel levels, door status, tire pressure, and more.
- Security Features: The agent can lock and unlock the doors remotely, providing an additional layer of security.
- Convenience: Remote start capabilities allow me to start the car from inside my house, ensuring it’s warm in the winter or cool in the summer when I’m ready to leave.
- Planning and Scheduling: By integrating with my calendar, the AI agent can plan gas stops and maintenance schedules based on my upcoming trips and appointments.
- Safety: The AI can monitor for unplanned movements or excessive speeds, providing real-time alerts for potential safety issues.
Looking Ahead
The future holds even more exciting possibilities. Here are a few ideas I’m looking forward to implementing:
- Automatic Trip Planning: Using AI to predict the best times for gas stops and rest breaks during long trips.
- Maintenance Scheduling: Proactively scheduling maintenance appointments based on mileage and vehicle diagnostics.
- Temperature-Based Remote Start: Triggering the remote start feature based on the current weather conditions and my schedule.
Integrating car APIs with AI has been an exciting journey, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it takes me next. If you’re interested in doing something similar, I highly recommend exploring your car’s API capabilities and experimenting with AI integrations.
Stay tuned for more updates on this project!
Read more about Ford Vehicle APIs
Feel free to leave comments or reach out if you have any questions or suggestions!