Mac in a Prius

Every Prius has a rather nice, reasonable reolution display device in the middle of the dash. It shows the radio controls, climate controls, GPS navigtaion, phone and blue tooth informaiton, vehicle performace and mileage data, and a schematic of what power is going where in the car when driving. Until 2006, there was an analog display interface (it is now digital), and a “standard” CAN (controller area network) interface just screaming out to be messed with, interfaced and controlled. It also has an iPod plug, but only for the audio and not control, so listening to your iTunes stuff is not the best experience.

So, given that this is a hacker’s dream car, how long before someone wanted more than just the audio from their iPod and a better interface for all their iTunes stuff?

How about a MacMini in the car? There is this wonderfully placed small “slot” (CD storage space) with a door in the dash just below the display which would be just PERFECT for an MacMini, and use that display for showing Front Row (would it be called Front Seat here) in your Prius. And that is what this person did.

Go have a look HERE for a great article on how this person hacked their Prius to get Front Row working in their car on the built-in display, WITH the touch screen controls working. This is not a novice project, requires a 2004 or 2005 Prius right now (until someone hackes the digital video interface of the 2006 and newer) and I am sure voids the warranty (look at the pictures of the dash torn apart!)

But on a scale of 1 to 10 for cool, this scores an 11. A Mac, with working touch interface, playing Front Row right in your face. Have a quick look (I hope he does not mind me borrowing a few of his pictures, all right reserved by the site mentioned above.)

Now, am I brave enough to pull my dash apart like that? Well, no, not yet anyway. But then again, a MacMini running in my car, maybe adding a Verizon wireless network card and a bluetooth wireless keyboard… I can see it now…

“Well officer, I was reading my email, talking on iChat, and trying to win an eBay auciton while driving 70 MPH on the freeway, when this guy just cut me off and I hit him!” OK, maybe I am not ready for this!

(Pictures used by permission from original website)