Open-Vehicle-Monitoring-System-3
An open-source hardware and software system for remote monitoring, diagnosis, and control of electric and other vehicles via OBD2.
What is Open-Vehicle-Monitoring-System-3?
OVMS3 is an open-source vehicle remote monitoring, diagnosis, and control system that connects to a vehicle's OBD2 port. It provides live telemetry data, sends alerts for critical events, and allows remote control of functions like charging and climate control. The system fills the gap left by proprietary vehicle systems by offering deep insight and full user data control.
Electric vehicle enthusiasts, fleet managers, and developers or technicians interested in vehicle telemetry, CAN bus analysis, and custom vehicle integrations.
Developers choose OVMS3 because it is fully open-source, provides extensive vehicle internals data, supports a wide range of vehicles, and allows complete customization and self-hosting without vendor lock-in.
Overview
Open Vehicle Monitoring System - Version 3
Use Cases
Best For
- Monitoring electric vehicle battery health and charging status in real-time
- Building a custom fleet management system with vehicle vitals and GPS tracking
- Reverse engineering vehicle CAN bus protocols for diagnostics or customization
- Adding remote control features to older or unsupported vehicles
- Integrating vehicle data into home automation systems via MQTT
- Developing custom plugins or extensions for vehicle-specific functionalities
Not Ideal For
- Users seeking a fully supported, plug-and-play commercial vehicle tracking system with warranties and minimal setup
- Projects involving vehicle models not natively supported by OVMS3, requiring extensive CAN bus reverse engineering
- Individuals who only need basic GPS tracking without telemetry data or remote control capabilities
- Environments where cellular connectivity is unreliable or unavailable, as OVMS3 relies on a modem for remote access
Pros & Cons
Pros
Supports over 30 vehicle models with native integration, providing detailed metrics like state of charge and tire pressures, as listed in the README's vehicle support section.
Fully open-source platform ensures complete user control over data, with customization via plugins and integration options like MQTT for home automation, addressing gaps in proprietary systems.
Includes CAN tools, OBD2 translator, DBC decoder, and a reverse engineering toolkit, making it ideal for vehicle diagnostics, hacking, and custom integrations as highlighted in the features.
Offers built-in web app, native Android and iOS apps, and server integration, ensuring remote access from various devices without vendor lock-in.
Cons
Requires purchasing and installing a certified hardware module (approx. 99x73x29 mm) via the OBD2 port, adding cost, physical setup complexity, and dependency on cellular connectivity.
Only specific vehicle models are natively supported; others rely on general methods like DBC files or require custom reverse engineering, which can be time-consuming and technically demanding.
Setup involves configuring the module, servers, and potentially cellular plans, with community-driven support via forums rather than polished commercial documentation, which may overwhelm non-technical users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
Awesome CAN Bus - an awesome list just for CAN Bus-related tools (hardware, software, etc.):articulated_lorry: Awesome CAN bus tools, hardware and resources for Cyber Security Researchers, Reverse Engineers, and Automotive Electronics Enthusiasts.
opendbca Python API for your car
SocketCAN UtilsLinux-CAN / SocketCAN user space applications
AndrOBDAndroid OBD diagnostics with any ELM327 adapter
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