The Open Vehicle Monitoring System (OVMS) began in 2011 as a hobbyist, open-source telemetry project created by Tesla Roadster owners (led by Mark Webb-Johnson with fellow Roadster enthusiasts) who wanted deeper access to vehicle data and remote control than Tesla’s original 2G telematics could provide. Now that the 2G network is ancient history, this product is more important than ever, allowing owners to stay in touch with their Roadsters. Early OVMS hardware (v1 and v2) used a plug-in module with a GSM modem to talk to a community-run server and smartphone apps; the current OVMS v3/v3.3 hardware adds a much more powerful controller, Wi-Fi, and 3G/4G cellular, and has become the de-facto replacement for the Roadster’s now-obsolete factory connectivity.
In a Tesla Roadster, the OVMS module connects to the car’s diagnostic CAN-bus connector in the passenger footwell and runs continuously in the background. It reads Roadster-specific data from the CAN bus and securely forwards it to the OVMS cloud and mobile apps, allowing owners (and service providers like Gruber) to monitor the car and issue selected commands from anywhere.
Roadsters, which are notorious for reaching a low state of charge condition if not charged, and then “Bricking” which requires a main battery recovery performed only at independent Tesla Service organizations with engineering talent and staff, this aftermarket device has saved numerous unattended Roadsters from this costly and preventable failure.
In practical terms, an OVMS module restores and modernizes “phone-home” connectivity for Tesla Roadsters, giving owners a level of visibility and control that rivals (and often exceeds) what newer factory-connected EVs provide.
When installed in a Tesla Roadster, this device not only provides user data but also allows for diagnostic access, enabling advanced troubleshooting and problem resolution. It provides an owner with vehicle location data, charge levels, error alerts, and numerous other vehicle status data, right on your cell phone.
It also allows remote control of many of these functions.
For 2.x Roadsters, the K-Line expansion board enables TPMS integration. The board can be ordered separately (see below) to upgrade an existing OVMS system or ordered along with this kit.
The K-Line TPMS option includes a capability to communicate with the Roadster TPMS wheel sensors, access the vehicle ECU, and store data in your configuration.
The kit comes with a hologram SIM card. It gives the OVMS system cellular connectivity. It can do over-the-air updates.
If the car is away from a Wi-Fi connection, you would have the ability to see the physical location of the car, preview and stop or start charging, see fault conditions, lock or unlock the Roadster, put it in Valet Mode, view the 12-volt battery, and preview tire pressures and temperatures.
The OVMS system needs some setup and programming. Some owners do it themselves, and others contract us to provide a turnkey solution. As always, we are available to assist. Call our Tech Support hotline for details or installation/replacement assistance – 623-433-8500
There are also some great online support tools and tutorials available:
