Get a bimmerz box
Three paths into the same hardware. All three run identical firmware and host the same toolkit — pick the one that fits your time, money, and "I want to solder" budget.
At a glance
| DIY — modules | DIY — custom PCB | Ready-to-ship | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | TBC | TBC | TBA |
| Time to first boot | An afternoon | A weekend — order PCB + parts, reflow, flash | Plug in, done |
| Soldering required | Headers + jumper wires | Yes (0805 passives, SOIC/QFN ICs, the module is castellated) | None |
| PCB fab order | No | Yes (JLCPCB / PCBWay) | Done for you |
| Size | Stack of breakouts; 3D-printed enclosure | OBD-II-dongle (~55 × 46 × 15 mm) | OBD-II-dongle in a moulded case |
| What you get | Dev board + click boards + cabling + firmware build | KiCad design, BOM, gerbers, firmware | Assembled board, case, cable, factory-flashed firmware |
| Customisable | Fully — swap any module, any GPIO | Fully — fork the schematic, add transceivers, change the housing | Firmware is OTA-updatable; hardware is fixed |
| Warranty | None (it's your jumper wires) | None (it's your soldering iron) | Manufacturing defects covered |
| Support | Community via GitHub | Community via GitHub | Community + direct email for shipped units |
Same hardware on both paths
- MCU: Waveshare ESP32-P4 Module — ESP32-P4 SoC + 32 MB octal PSRAM + 16 MB flash + crystal + antenna + RF shield, all in one pre-certified module.
- Wi-Fi + BLE: ESP32-C6 co-processor, SDIO 4-bit at 40 MHz.
- K-line: L9637D transceiver (handles ISO 9141 / KWP2000 / DS2).
- CAN: dual TJA1051T transceivers — HS-CAN (PT-CAN) + MS-CAN (K-CAN) on independent buses.
- Storage: microSD socket (FAT32, hot-swappable).
- Connectors: 16-pin OBD-II to the car, USB-C for power + USB-MSC + flashing.
Same firmware on both paths
The DIY and ready-to-ship images are identical. Updates roll out via the dongle's OTA mechanism (admin page → upload bimmerz_box.bin).
Pick a path
- I want to start hacking the firmware today → DIY from modules — dev board + click breakouts + jumper wires. No PCB fab.
- I want to build the production hardware → DIY custom PCB — KiCad, BOM, gerbers, soldering notes.
- I want to plug it in → Ready-to-ship — pre-orders open when the hardware is finalised, timelines unknown for now.
The middle of the road — DIY hub — has both paths side by side if you can't decide.