Implement Home-Assistant API so it can be used while on the road through a data connection

[vincegre]

It would allow to device to be a lot more usable if it could implement the HA API so it can connect to it while on the road using either a shared GSM connection or a GSM module ;)

Thanks

[wdarney]

Here is what I do..

I have a Unifi UMR Industrial on Verizon hooked up my cars, now defunct, On-Star antenna (which also used Verizon). The UMR is connected via Wireguard back to my UDM Pro. The WiCan is attached to the UMR over WiFi (using WPA3, which is awesome) and HomeAssistant can communicate with it natively or via MQTT. (note, i do not put my WiCan to sleep. Due to the car not allowing CAN communication without the key or unless the lock/unlock is sent via the keyfob, I don't see any battery drain from the WiCan itself. I also don't use OBD mode either though.. so the WiCan's just passively listening) I don't put it to sleep as I want to see lock/unlock and door position status data; if the doors are opened or the alarm goes off, the CAN network awakes and I can get data. The CAN network wakes up for 15 seconds and then goes back to sleep and in that time it updates all my data points in Home Assistant.

The UMR is about $199 and the Verizon SIM card with 2GB of monthly data is $8/m via US-Mobile. The UMR, with the Sharkfin antenna on my roof gives absolutely amazing signal. We can be deep in the New Hampshire woods where phones get no signal and the UMR is perfectly happy.

I also have an ESP32 attached to a Unifi Flex USB powered switch that is soldered to my old keyfob for lock/unlock commands via Home Assistant that sits inside the car. It acts a bluetooth proxy for bluetooth devices in the car such as my AQI meter and my old bluetooth door sensors that I used to use to sense door, window and trunk state but now I use CAN data for that.

All this runs 24/7 on the battery and i've left my car for 5 days and it starts up just fine. The whole setup draws 5 watts (which is actually a lot for a sleeping car but the battery holds up fine. My idea to supplement is to attach a secondary full size battery to double my cars capacity. (but that's a big project.. lol)

[cismarine]

I can also put my thumbs up for esphome version.

[jay-oswald]

Closing this, we have HA working via webhooks in the new beta version of the integration already, I've been using it myself for a few months and its been working great

[kquinsland]

Can you link to documentation on this? I noticed this in the latest FW release notes but ... can not find any info about how this is to be set up / used with home assistant or if it's meant to replace the current "HA Integration will poll the device" pattern

[jay-oswald]

No docs yet, though there probably won't really need to be anyway. If your on the latest FW for WiCAN and latest beta of integration, just install and add device, everythng else happens automatically.

It is completly replacing the polling version, it will be push only, as this allows it to push via https over LTE etc.

[kquinsland]

That was a fast reply! Glad to hear that the data flow model is moving to the right one! I just found your webhook branch on the HA component's repo... I had HACS switch to 1.0.0.beta-1 tag and then removed the device and re-added it.

I eventually saw the correct settings show up in the firmware on the device and after a few save/reboot cycles later, the odometer reading (custom CAN PID for my old car...) is finally in home-assistant :D.