Auto AIDER - Vehicle Diagnostic Mobile App

Auto AIDER is a React Native mobile application that connects to vehicles via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) OBD2 adapters to read diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) and provide real-time code interpretation powered by Google Gemini AI.

Technology Stack

Core Framework

React Native: 0.79.5
Expo: 53.0.0 with Expo Router 5.1.2
React: 19.0.0
TypeScript: 5.8.3
Navigation: React Navigation 7.x with Expo Router (file-based routing)

State Management

Redux Toolkit: 2.8.2 with Redux Persist for offline state

Platform-Specific

Android SDK: Level 35 (target), 24+ (minimum)
Build System: Gradle 8.13, Kotlin 2.0.21, NDK 26.2.11394342
JS Engine: JSC (Hermes disabled due to architecture compatibility)
New Architecture: Currently disabled (newArchEnabled=false) - see Known Issues

BLE & OBD2 Communication

react-native-ble-plx: 3.5.0 - Core BLE communication library
OBD2 Protocol: ISO 15765-2 Mode 03 (Read DTC)
Supported Adapters: Any Bluetooth LE OBD2 adapter (ELM327 clones, VEEPEAK, etc.)

Backend & Services

Firebase: Authentication, Cloud Messaging, Analytics (v23.4.0)
REST API: Custom backend for user data, shop management, diagnostic history
Socket.io: Real-time updates for chat and notifications
Google Gemini AI: Code interpretation and technical descriptions

Additional Libraries

Axios: HTTP client for API calls
dayjs: Date/time manipulation
Lottie: JSON animation rendering
Google Maps: Location services and shop discovery
expo-dev-client: 5.2.4 (development only)

Project Structure

app/                          # Main app source code (file-based routing)
├── _layout.tsx              # Root layout with auth navigation
├── index.tsx                # Entry point
├── auth/
│   ├── login.tsx
│   ├── signup.tsx
│   └── forgot-pass.tsx
├── car-owner/               # Car owner role screens
│   ├── _layout.tsx
│   ├── (screens)/           # Individual screens
│   ├── (tabs)/              # Bottom tab screens
│   └── run-diagnostics/     # BLE device discovery & DTC reading
├── repair-shop/             # Repair shop role screens
│   ├── _layout.tsx
│   ├── (screens)/
│   └── (tabs)/
├── chat-room/
└── error/

components/                   # Reusable UI components
├── Header.tsx
├── TabBar.tsx
├── Loading.tsx
├── NetworkProvider.tsx       # Network status context
├── PrivacyPolicyComp.tsx
├── TermsOfServiceComp.tsx
└── withNetworkCheck.tsx      # HOC for offline functionality

hooks/                        # Custom React hooks
├── useNetworkStatus.ts       # Monitor online/offline
└── useBackRoute.ts           # Handle back navigation

redux/                        # Redux store and slices
├── store.ts
└── slices/
    ├── deviceSlice.ts        # Connected OBD2 device state
    ├── scanSlice.ts          # DTC scan results
    ├── vehicleDiagIDSlice.ts # Diagnostic history
    └── [other slices]

services/                     # API & external services
├── backendApi.ts            # REST API calls
├── geminiApi.ts             # Gemini AI integration
├── socket.ts                # Socket.io client
├── notifications.ts         # Push notification handlers
├── interceptor.ts           # Axios interceptor for auth
└── tokenStorage.ts          # Secure token management

types/                        # TypeScript type definitions
├── user.ts
├── vehicle.ts
├── vehicleDiagnostic.ts
├── mechanicRequest.ts
└── autoRepairShop.ts

config/                       # Configuration files
docs/                         # Documentation
assets/                       # Images, fonts, sounds, animations

android/                      # Native Android code
├── app/
│   ├── src/main/AndroidManifest.xml  # Permissions & activities
│   └── src/main/res/values/styles.xml # Themes
└── gradle.properties         # Build configuration

Key Features

1. OBD2 Device Discovery & Connection

File: app/car-owner/(screens)/run-diagnostics/run-diagnostics.tsx
Scans for Bluetooth LE OBD2 adapters
Supports device names: OBD, ELM, VEEPEAK, and derivatives
Establishes BLE connection and discovers service characteristics
Initializes adapter with AT commands (ATZ, ATE0, ATS0, ATH0)

2. Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) Reading

Protocol: OBD2 Mode 03 (Read DTC)
Commands:
- 03 - Standard DTC read command
- 0300 - Fallback format for compatibility
Timeout: 10 seconds (fallback 8 seconds)
Response: Hex-encoded codes with format PXYZZ (P=category, X=system, Y=problem, Z=condition)

3. Code Interpretation

AI Service: Google Gemini API
For Each Code: Returns technical description, meaning, common causes, typical repairs
User Display: Card-based UI showing code details and repair suggestions

4. Bluetooth Permission Handling (Android 12+)

Manifest Declaration: Added usesPermissionFlags="neverForLocation" to prevent location-based permission routing
Permission Flow:
1. Request BLUETOOTH_SCAN (Bluetooth discovery)
2. Request BLUETOOTH_CONNECT (Bluetooth connection)
3. Request ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION (for reliable permission grant)
Sequential Request: Permissions requested one-by-one, not batched

Build & Deployment

Development Build

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Start development server
npx expo start

# Connect device or emulator and press 'a' for Android

Release Build (Production APK)

# Build unsigned release APK
cd android
./gradlew assembleRelease
cd ..

# APK location: android/app/build/outputs/apk/release/app-release-unsigned.apk

# OR use Expo to build signed APK
eas build --platform android --profile release

Configuration Files

metro.config.js: Metro bundler config (CommonJS format, SVG transformer enabled)
eslint.config.js: ESLint v9 flat config format
tsconfig.json: TypeScript configuration with strict mode
app.config.js: Expo app configuration (plugins, permissions, etc.)

Android Permissions

Required Permissions:

BLUETOOTH_SCAN - Discover OBD2 adapters
BLUETOOTH_CONNECT - Connect to discovered devices
ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION - Location access (required for Bluetooth on some Android versions)
INTERNET - Backend API communication
MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS - Audio-related features
RECORD_AUDIO - Audio recording if applicable

Optional Permissions:

ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION - Background location (currently not used)
SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM - Precise alarms

Redux State Management

Key Slices

deviceSlice: Connected OBD2 device info (name, UUID, characteristic UUIDs)
scanSlice: Latest DTC scan results and status
vehicleDiagIDSlice: Historical diagnostic records
vehicleDiagIDArrSlice: Array of diagnostic sessions
senderReceiverSlice: Chat message participants
tabBarSlice: Active tab state
roleSlice: User role (car-owner, repair-shop)

OBD2 Communication Flow

1. discoverDevices()
   └─ Scan for BLE devices (20s timeout, filter by name)
   
2. connectToDevice(device)
   └─ Establish BLE connection
   └─ Discover services & characteristics
   └─ Initialize with AT commands
   
3. readCodes()
   └─ sendCommand('03', 10s)
   └─ If no response: sendCommand('0300', 8s)
   
4. parseDTCResponse(raw)
   └─ Validate response format ('43' header)
   └─ Extract count byte
   └─ Parse hex DTC values
   └─ Return array of decoded codes
   
5. decodeDTC(hex)
   └─ Convert 4-char hex to PXYZZ format
   └─ Return standardized DTC code
   
6. handleCodeInterpretation(codes[])
   └─ Send each code to Gemini API
   └─ Display interpretation to user

Known Issues & Limitations

1. New Architecture Disabled

Status: newArchEnabled=false in android/gradle.properties
Reason: expo-dev-menu-interface v1.8.4 incompatible with React Native 0.79.5 bridgeless architecture
Error: Kotlin compilation fails with unresolved references to ReactFeatureFlags properties
Impact: Performance optimization not available; app works on JSC engine
Solution: Upgrade to newer Expo or downgrade React Native (pending investigation)

2. OBD2 Code Reading Not Reliable

Status: Sometimes returns "No codes detected" on vehicles with active check engine light
Possible Causes:
- Different OBD2 adapter dialect/protocol variant
- Insufficient adapter initialization sequence
- Timing issues specific to release builds
- Adapter not returning data in expected format
Debug Steps:
1. Build and install release APK
2. Connect real vehicle with OBD2 adapter
3. Run: adb logcat | Select-String "ReactNativeJS" (Windows PowerShell)
4. Tap "Discover Devices" and "Scan"
5. Check console output for raw adapter response
6. Share logs showing exact response format
Workaround: Comprehensive logging added to parseDTCResponse() for debugging

3. Hermes JS Engine Disabled

Status: JSC only (hermesEnabled=false)
Reason: Hermes incompatible with new architecture disabled state in build system
Impact: Slightly larger app size, slower startup
Solution: Re-enable once new architecture stabilized

Debugging & Console Logs

BLE Communication Logs

Add this to terminal to monitor all BLE operations:

adb logcat | Select-String "ReactNativeJS" | Select-String "BLE|DTC|Command|Parse"

Key Log Points

=== Starting device discovery === - Scan started
=== Found device: [name] === - Device discovered
Sending command: [cmd] - OBD2 command sent
Response received: [hex] - Raw adapter response
Raw response: "[data]" - Before parsing
After cleanup: "[data]" - Whitespace removed
Extracted DTCs: [codes] - Successfully parsed codes
ERROR: Failed to parse response - Parsing failed

Performance Optimization

BLE Polling: 100ms lock, 200ms response (reduced from 20/50ms for release stability)
Command Timeout: 5s default, 10s for DTC read (increased for adapter latency)
Redux Persist: Offline state preservation
Network Monitoring: Graceful degradation when offline
Image Optimization: Lottie animations for smooth performance

Setup Instructions for Development

Install Node.js: v18+ required
Install Android Studio: For SDK, emulator, build tools
Clone & Install:
```
npm install
```
Configure Environment:
- Create .env with backend API URL
- Add Firebase configuration
- Configure Gemini API key
Run Development:
```
npx expo start
```
Test on Device:
- Install Expo Go or development build
- Scan QR code from terminal
- Test Bluetooth permissions on Android 12+

Contributing

Follow TypeScript strict mode
Add console.log statements for debugging (removed in production builds)
Test on real Android device before merging
Update Redux slices for state changes
Add types for all API responses

Troubleshooting

Bluetooth Permission Not Showing

Ensure android:usesPermissionFlags="neverForLocation" in AndroidManifest.xml
Clear app cache: adb shell pm clear [package.name]
Test on Android 12+ device

OBD2 Adapter Not Found

Ensure adapter is powered on and in pairing mode
Check adapter battery
Verify vehicle is on (some adapters require vehicle power)
Confirm adapter Bluetooth name matches filter (OBD, ELM, VEEPEAK)

App Crashes on DTC Read

Check logcat for exceptions in parseDTCResponse()
Verify adapter responds with expected format
Check timeout values (may need increase for slower adapters)

Build Fails

# Clean build artifacts
cd android
./gradlew clean
cd ..

# Rebuild
cd android
./gradlew assembleRelease

Support & Resources

Firebase Console: Monitor authentication, analytics, messaging
Google Gemini API: Documentation at ai.google.dev
OBD2 Protocol: ISO 15765-2 specification
React Native BLE: https://github.com/dotintent/react-native-ble-plx

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 159 Commits
.vscode		.vscode
android		android
app		app
assets		assets
components		components
docs		docs
hooks		hooks
redux		redux
services		services
types		types
.gitignore		.gitignore
.prettierrc		.prettierrc
README.md		README.md
app.config.js		app.config.js
babel.config.js		babel.config.js
eas.json		eas.json
eslint.config.js		eslint.config.js
metro.config.js		metro.config.js
package-lock.json		package-lock.json
package.json		package.json
tsconfig.json		tsconfig.json

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Auto AIDER - Vehicle Diagnostic Mobile App

Technology Stack

Core Framework

State Management

Platform-Specific

BLE & OBD2 Communication

Backend & Services

Additional Libraries

Project Structure

Key Features

1. OBD2 Device Discovery & Connection

2. Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) Reading

3. Code Interpretation

4. Bluetooth Permission Handling (Android 12+)

Build & Deployment

Development Build

Release Build (Production APK)

Configuration Files

Android Permissions

Redux State Management

Key Slices

OBD2 Communication Flow

Known Issues & Limitations

1. New Architecture Disabled

2. OBD2 Code Reading Not Reliable

3. Hermes JS Engine Disabled

Debugging & Console Logs

BLE Communication Logs

Key Log Points

Performance Optimization

Setup Instructions for Development

Contributing

Troubleshooting

Bluetooth Permission Not Showing

OBD2 Adapter Not Found

App Crashes on DTC Read

Build Fails

Support & Resources

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