OBD Fusion (Car Diagnostics) - Interview with the developer of a fantastic app

Did you have any prior development or coding experience?

Yes, I have been designing and developing software for around 20 years. I have development experience in embedded systems, Windows software, web development, and mobile. I love developing software!

What was the most challenging aspect of developing mobile app?

There are many challenging aspects of developing mobile apps. Technology is constantly changing and evolving, so staying up to date with the latest and greatest features is always challenging. Our app is unique in that it not only has to be compatible with multiple mobile operating systems and devices, but it also has to be compatible with hundreds of different vehicles, as well as countless OBD2 adapters. Providing a consistent and quality user experience with all of these factors is a constant challenge.

_{Matthew O'Connor}

The interviewee, Matthew O'Connor, is the President and Lead Software Developer at OCTech, LLC. He is a highly motivated software engineer with professional experience in software design and development, software practices, and team management.

Name a few of your favorite apps and reason you love them.

I use Pandora daily because I love listening to music while I work. I also use 1Password frequently because it’s a great app for creating and storing passwords.

How long have you been working on this app?

I began working on TouchScan, our Windows app, in 2009. That eventually evolved into our OBD Fusion moble app, which was first released in 2012. I continue to work on both apps to make improvements and add features that will better serve my customers.

What need of the user did you have in mind when developing this app?

I believe that everyone who owns a vehicle should be able to monitor and diagnose simple problems that occur with their vehicle. When I first decided to develop an OBD2 application, I felt there was a lack of quality software available for accessing vehicle diagnostics outside of professional scan tools that were not within the budget of most vehicle owners. That motivated me to develop software that fulfilled those needs.

In what way do you think your app is better than similar apps on the market? Please describe in detail what innovation you think you bring and what you are proud of in your app.

I believe our software is well-designed, intuitive, and easy to use. I am very proud of our user-interface and customizable dashboards. Shortly after releasing OBD Fusion, we kept receiving feedback from our users that they wanted to access more detailed information on their vehicles. In response, we added enhanced diagnostic functionality that provides access to many additional modules (e.g. ABS, Airbag, Transmission, etc.) as well as access to hundreds of additional sensors. Enhanced diagnostics allows OBD Fusion to provide access to data on vehicles that other apps are not able to access.

What are your future plans and expected features of the coming new versions of this app?

We are working on a major rewrite of our app interface that will bring new features and allow us to more easily add features across all supported mobile operating systems. In additional, my goal is continue to add access to enhanced diagnostics for additional vehicles.

Assuming new users of your app are reading this page. What do you want to ask them to do (contact you about X, Share the app, etc.)?

I love to hear feedback from OBD Fusion users, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions, feature suggestions, or just want to say hello. If you love OBD Fusion, please don’t hesitate to spread the word among other car owners!