IoT Tech Is Opening New Doors

Tesla's electric powertrain certainly appeals to many, but for most owners, it is the cutting-edge technology inside the car that truly captivates them. From the advanced Autopilot system that pushes the boundaries of autonomous driving to the integration of over-the-air software updates, Tesla vehicles feel like a glimpse into the future of transportation. The minimalist interior, dominated by a large touchscreen interface, offers a digital experience that rivals that of any smartphone, making traditional dashboard controls feel outdated. Features like real-time traffic visualization, AI-driven navigation, and voice-activated controls create an immersive experience that redefines what a car can be.

But not everything is under the control of a Tesla vehicle. It may seem like a minor inconvenience, but for Gustavo Gonnet, having to keep track of and use a traditional garage door opener made him feel like he was back in the stone age. So to keep that futuristic vibe going, Gonnet decided to build a more intelligent garage door opener that could be directly integrated into his Tesla’s touchscreen interface.

Now, you cannot exactly hack away at a Tesla’s software, which is not necessarily a bad thing — customizations to Autopilot, for example, might not always work out so well. But with some creativity and a boost from Particle hardware and web services, Gonnet was able to come up with a solution that worked just as well as if it was a stock feature. With a simple button on the Tesla’s built-in touchscreen, Gonnet can now open and close his garage door. Hasta la vista, stone age garage door opener!

The hardware stack for the system is very simple and consists of a Particle Monitor One Developer Edition and an industrial magnetic switch. The Particle Monitor One was designed to bring the physical world of machines online, so it is ideal for adding intelligence to something like a garage door opener. It offers wireless connectivity via cellular and Bluetooth Low Energy to access external resources, and it is fully programmable to support any custom interactions that are required for the application.

In this case, Gonnet built a simple web app that can be loaded in the Tesla’s web browser. This app interacts with the Particle Cloud API, which uses Particle Ledger to track the state (open or closed) of the garage door. The Cloud API further interacts with the Particle Monitor One device, which was mounted, via a magnetic attachment, near the garage door opener. Using this setup, a tap on the touchscreen will open or close the garage door. And if you do not happen to be in your car, the garage can still be operated with a Shelly BLU Button1 Bluetooth remote control.

This is quite a simple hack, so every technophile that owns a Tesla should be asking themselves one question: what am I waiting for? Quit dragging your feet and take a look at the full project write-up for additional details that can help you bring your garage door opener into Tesla’s futuristic ecosystem.