Back in the '70s, installing a u-build-it electronic ignition from Heathkit in your '66 Rivera was the nerdiest thing you could do to a car. Now, car-puter nerds can hack together almost anything factory nerds can do — and more. What's the nerdiest car mod project ever?
Back in 2008, this enterprising Canadian guy designed a bespoke, voice-recognition-capable car PC solution in his 2004 Subaru Legacy. But unlike some flashy AV-based carputer systems, this one is not only completely stealthy, it also has tons of useful apps, including one that can access traffic cameras, a Google Maps tracking system and an LED message sign in the rear window he can populate by voice to, say, thank another driver for allowing him to cut in. He's used a combination of off-the-shelf software and his own hackery to get everything to work. He's also invented an automated dog dish and a payment card reader for a vending machine he bought on Craigslist, neither of which has anything to do with cars.
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