FlowPilot: FAQ
It is an open-source software foundation for interfacing with hardware to provide level-2 "self driving" capabilities for cars. It is based on Open Pilot made by Comma AI.
First you need to make sure you have a device that can actually run Flow Pilot. Technically, the software may run on any Android device or Linux system. However, in practice, certain hardware is much easier to get running. I personally use an LG G8 phone and that is the only phone I can say for certain that works. OnePlus 7T is the closest "second" device I can recommend.
Why those devices? They can be rooted, run Android 11+ (I recommend and run Android 13 with Lineage OS), have an ultra-wide camera and a SnapDragon 855 processor. SnapDragon 845s and slower might work, but 855+ is the sweet spot. Non-snapdragon devices have not been tested, and some models might not work at all that require "SNPE" acceleration (a snapdragon model running system). Fortunately, the latest "thneed" models do appear to need "SNPE".
Desktop, Linux devices are the least supported at this point, but it could theoretically work if you can get OpenCL acceleration working on it.
Flow Pilot isn't just some app or APK that you download and install. You need to follow installation instructions strictly, as the app needs a specific "termux" background environment running. There are also 2 current installation methods with pros and cons:
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Use the official flowpilot installation instructions. This is more "compatible" out of the box, as it hasn't been fine turned for any car or purpose. It runs old models in a suboptimal way. Unfortunately, this method doesn't get updated and is more prone to errors due to changes in repositories. I do not recommend this method.
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Use my tarball method. This is what I use, and it runs the latest "thneed" models from Open Pilot and works with my latest Flow Pilot app that is more efficient, handles image processing better, and basically is a reliable daily driver system. The problem is, this fork is fine tuned for my LG G8 and specific Hyundai Kona EV. It will take some tweaking to get working for your phone and car to even work at all. I'm hoping more developers can help improve the compatibility of this system.
Your car needs lane assist features for Flow Pilot to work at all. I've heard VW cars can work without lane assist features... it may be more useful to ask around the Open Pilot community for their supported car list. Basically, you need one of those camera harnesses up near your rear view mirror, where the lane assist camera is. There is a plug that you will need to hook into. Also, for full support, you need "smart" or "dynamic" cruise control. It is possible to run Flow Pilot without "smart" cruise control: I do it myself! However, Open Pilot was originally designed to only work with "smart" cruise control.
You can see here, a phone configured with Flow Pilot is just 1 piece of the puzzle. The most important other part you will need is a "panda" device. You can get "panda" devices from Comma AI or from Mr.One's store. I recommend Mr.One's "mini-all-in-one black panda", as it includes the "harness box" and "black panda" part you'd otherwise be spending a ton for straight from Comma AI. It is what I use!
Flow Pilot Phone -> USB C "OTG" Adapter (get one that splits power and OTG data) -> Black Panda (mini-all-in-one) -> Car-specific Comma AI harness connector -> Lane Assist Camera Port (rear view camera)
You probably won't need the RJ-45 and Comma Power thing, as that is one way to provide power for your Flow Pilot device. However, the mini-all-in-one Panda can provide power from the Lane Assist Camera Port. You can also try just using the phone battery, but that runs out and can be a safety hazard in hot car dash situations.
Yes! See here: https://github.com/phr00t/flowpilot/wiki/How-to-make-an-LG-G8-Flow-Pilot-Device
This guide is designed for an LG G8, but many of the steps are essential for most phones (like setting up the software and hardware modifications for safety and reliability).
Flow Pilot isn't for you, then. I'd head over to Comma AI's store or Mr.One's "clone" store to buy a more consumer-level device. A Comma AI "C3X" or its clone from Mr.One will get you a device that is more compatible with cars out-of-the-box and works with more versions of Open Pilot.
Flow Pilot is made for tinkerers and developers who want to spend less money in exchange for skill.
Great! I recommend forking my repository. My repository works with the latest "thneed" models from Comma AI and has a newer image processing system for controlling exposure, among many other things. You could work on moving this into the official flowpilot repository, or you can start with that stuff already working on this fork. This fork needs compatibility work though, as I only had my car and phone to test with.
You will need to know Python for starters.