panda/README.md

Welcome to panda
======

[panda](http://github.com/commaai/panda) is the nicest universal car interface you've ever seen.

<img src="https://github.com/commaai/panda/blob/master/panda.png">

It supports 3x CAN, 2x LIN, and 1x GMLAN. It also charges a phone.

It uses an [STM32F413](http://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers/stm32f413-423.html?querycriteria=productId=LN2004) for low level stuff and an [ESP8266](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESP8266) for wifi. They are connected over high speed SPI, so the panda is actually capable of dumping the full contents of the busses over wifi, unlike every other dongle on amazon. ELM327 is weak, panda is strong.

It is 2nd gen hardware, reusing code and parts from the [NEO](https://github.com/commaai/neo) interface board.

Usage
------

To install the library:
```
# pip install pandacan
```

See [this class](https://github.com/commaai/panda/blob/master/panda/__init__.py#L80) for how to interact with the panda.

For example, to receive CAN messages:
```
>>> from panda import Panda
>>> panda = Panda()
>>> panda.can_recv()
```
And to send one on bus 0:
```
>>> panda.can_send(0x1aa, "message", 0)
```
More examples coming soon

Software interface support
------

As a universal car interface, it should support every reasonable software interface.

- User space (done)
- socketcan in kernel (alpha)
- ELM327 (planned)
- Windows J2534 (planned)

Directory structure
------

- board      -- Code that runs on the STM32
- boardesp   -- Code that runs on the ESP8266
- drivers    -- Drivers (not needed for use with python)
- lib        -- Python userspace library for interfacing with the panda
- tests      -- Tests and helper programs for panda

Programming (over USB)
------

Programming the STM32
```
cd board
./get_sdk.sh
make
```

Programming the ESP
```
cd boardesp
./get_sdk.sh
make
```

Debugging
------

To print out the serial console from the STM32, run tests/debug_console.py

To print out the serial console from the ESP8266, run PORT=1 tests/debug_console.py

Hardware
------

Check out the hardware [guide](https://github.com/commaai/panda/blob/master/docs/guide.pdf)

Licensing
------

panda software is released under the MIT license unless otherwise specified.