How To Turn Your Car Into A Racing Game Controller

If you are a fan of racing games, you would find it valuable to have a driving experience that’s as authentic as possible. And this creation helps you achieve that right in the car you drive every day. Using this breakout board along with some other components, you can turn your own car into a racing game controller.

As Nishanth Samala needed a new engine, he made the decision to turn the vehicle into a racing game controller. With some experiment, he discovered that using a Macchina M2 OBD2 dongle that connects to a port under the car’s dashboard, normally used for repairs and diagnostics, he could route signals from the pedals and steering wheel in his vehicle to a laptop, translating them to racing games.

However, Samala wanted to take things further by making the car’s interface with the Xbox One. After experimenting, he designed then engineered a breakout board serving as an interface between the Macchina M2 and Microsoft’s Adaptive Controller, using several 3.5mm inputs that accept signals coming from other hardware.

If you install a big screen along with a video projector in the garage, you will get one of the best racing game experiences ever. Using the wheel in the car you are familiar with gives you an advantage in the virtual racing game. Furthermore, this method costs less than purchasing a gaming wheel and pedals.

According to Samala, it costs about $212 for the cables and hardware for making the interface of your real car with an Xbox One. Meanwhile, buying a pedal and steering wheel controllers will cost $300 or more.