I was initially drawn to the BlueDriver OBD2 scanner over options like the ScanGauge II, mainly because of the appeal of a color LCD gauge display compared to a basic text readout. The promise of a wireless setup also seemed very convenient. My plan was to dedicate an old Android phone, one that was retired and didn’t even have a SIM card, to run the BlueDriver app. Unfortunately, that’s where my expectations hit a snag.
The BlueDriver OBD2 scanner requires an active internet data connection each and every time you want to pair it with your vehicle. Yes, you read that right. Every single time you restart the app or want to use it. Once the initial pairing process is complete, it does connect to your vehicle via Bluetooth, and the data stream is then displayed on your Android phone screen. As it stands now, I’m forced to use the Wi-Fi hotspot from my primary phone (the one with a data connection) to get the BlueDriver app on the secondary, “dumber” smartphone to connect to my car’s database. After the system is paired and running, I can technically turn off the hotspot, but this unfortunately disables data logging and other useful features. This is definitely not the seamless, set-and-forget system I was hoping for when I envisioned using BlueDriver with Android.
Adding another layer of complication, I typically use my primary phone to connect to my Kenwood Excelon car stereo via a USB cable for Android Auto. If you haven’t experienced Android Auto, it’s fantastic, offering a much better in-car experience than constantly monitoring something like engine load percentage or DPF temperature. However, here’s the kicker: as soon as Android Auto connects, Bluetooth on the phone is disabled. This means I cannot simultaneously operate both the BlueDriver OBD2 scanner and Android Auto on the same phone. It’s one or the other.
Furthermore, after delving into the BlueDriver manual, it’s become clear that this device is designed more as a diagnostic tool for occasional use rather than a system for continuous vehicle monitoring. While I do intend to use my BlueDriver from time to time for diagnostics, in hindsight, I really wish I had opted for the ScanGauge II instead for my original purpose of ongoing monitoring.
