TouchScan

Since computers and automated technology started to take over difficult tasks, electronics and computers help our cars perform better while offering its passengers more comfort. Errors can occur due to various reasons, but with the help of applications such as TouchScan you can take a look under your car's virtual hood to gather data or attempt to fix issues.

The application lets you take advantage of its features in a user-friendly interface, with a side panel providing quick access to major sections, while the rest of the space dedicated to gathering data from your vehicle. What's more, you can fully customize the interface to make it suit your style, and even enable a touch screen size in case you're using such a device.

You need to create a connection with your car so that the application can start analysis. USB through FTDI driver, Bluetooth, RS-232 or WiFi connections are available, each with individual settings, like port, IP and protocols. More options can be handled from the “Setup” tab, with the possibility to configure PID monitor, fuel and a few others.

On the other hand, the application does not necessarily need to connect to a vehicle in order to analyze data, thus giving you the possibility to view vehicle details as long as there's a dedicated file on your computer to load.

From the “Diagnostics” tab, codes that cause performance issues, freeze frames and PID values can be viewed. Raw data is also collected, the application giving you the possibility to write down specific commands from a console to apply changes. As the application suggests, this is best handled by professionals or you might end up frying your car.

What's more, you can use the application for other types of analysis as well. Fuel consumption is a great concern and in this regard, the application lets you keep a close eye on how much your engine devours in a given distance. Values can be measured in real time, but take caution not to modify any values while the car is running.

On an ending note, next time you go on a big trip or your car simply troubles you, TouchScan might just be what you need. It's easy to use by anyone, regardless of experience, but with caution not to damage your car because most systems nowadays are computer-based and a simple line of code can be harmful.