Is this possible? External control panel with A/C buttons (Mode and Fan speed) for the integrated infotainment+HVAC console (1 Viewer)

[newbielx470]

Hi! I didn't find this idea mentioned from search results. Maybe it's just a ridiculous thought

I've seen car audio shops doing crazy creative stuff, and it seems nothing is impossible. But has anyone heard of such external control panel for the integrated infotainment/HVAC system that can be added so that we can control the A/C functionality without having to mess with the touch screen at all? I imagine there are probably specific wires that control the HVAC part of the center console. Can an external control panel be added with wires connected with relays to work in parallel? With something like that, and the Vline2, we don't need to worry about converting to modern unit anymore.

Actually we just need 2 buttons/dials to control the A/C Mode and Fan Speed. Other buttons already exist below the touch screen.

Thanks.

 

[newbielx470]

From electric circuitry perspective, these buttons would be no different from the existing A/C Temperature adjustment and the circulate/ventilate buttons, right?

 

[cryptyk]

Anything is possible
If your truck doesn't have the touch screen, you can just tie into the existing buttons and dials.

If you have a touch screen, it's way more complicated. The Nav screen communicates with the climate computer via the canbus. The "simplest" way to do what you're suggesting would be to buy a canbus module, get the programming docs for it, plug it into the harness and use an arduino to send the correct climate control commands to the climate ECU. You could also do the same via the OBD2 port. There are canbus lines exposed there and I believe some of the OBD2 controllers and software allow custom commands. Presumably you could connect to one of those using bluetooth and then use a bluetooth control panel in the back of the truck.

Basically, I don't think there's an easy way to do it.

 

[newbielx470]

Anything is possible
If your truck doesn't have the touch screen, you can just tie into the existing buttons and dials.

If you have a touch screen, it's way more complicated. The Nav screen communicates with the climate computer via the canbus. The "simplest" way to do what you're suggesting would be to buy a canbus module, get the programming docs for it, plug it into the harness and use an arduino to send the correct climate control commands to the climate ECU. You could also do the same via the OBD2 port. There are canbus lines exposed there and I believe some of the OBD2 controllers and software allow custom commands. Presumably you could connect to one of those using bluetooth and then use a bluetooth control panel in the back of the truck.

Basically, I don't think there's an easy way to do it.

Thank you for the detailed info! I'll look into the OBD2-bluetooth connection based control possibility. Hope to keep the truck as stock as possible but add some convenience and also a bypass method in case if the touchscreen fails in the future

 

[Njck22]

It's entirely possible. The system is run from the ac amplifier. You would need to send the correct signals to the AC amplifier. The Chinese know how to. But they don't make a standalone ac control unit. one possible solution is to relocate the entire multi view monitor and ac control buttons into the center console. Then you have space for a double din head-unit, or bigger. like alpine 9 inch.
Of course some people have done the non-nav conversion. But it's expensive and hard to source parts. but I love having future-proofed my truck.