Getting Started with the Car App

The Car App runs on BYD vehicles with DiLink head units. It shows live vehicle data, gives you local climate and access controls, records trip and charging history, runs voice commands and automation rules, and connects the Companion App, Home Assistant and Telegram integrations.

For the full feature list — and which tier each feature needs — see Car App Features. This page covers installation and first run.

Compatibility

Built for BYD vehicles with DiLink head units, with firmware profiles for DiLink 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.1 and 6.0 and model families including Song Plus, Song L, Tang, Han, Seal, Seagull, Atto 3 and Denza.

Caution

Which controls and sensors actually exist depends on your exact vehicle firmware and the DiLink values it exposes. No feature can be promised for every BYD model.

Internet requirements

The dashboard shows vehicle data without internet. Internet is needed for licence checks, Companion App pairing, Telegram, remote commands, logs and T-Box communication — so connected features stay unavailable until the head unit is online.

Installation

The Car App is installed manually on the DiLink head unit. Updates are installed the same way — download the newer APK and reinstall it.

Download the app

Download the latest BYD EV Pro APK from the Releases page. Choose the most recent stable BYD EV Pro release.

Enable ADB on the head unit

The Car App needs ADB (Android Debug Bridge) enabled on the head unit before it can connect.

Caution

Enabling ADB on DiLink 5.0 and newer usually requires a paid unlock procedure; on DiLink 3.0/4.0 it is simpler. The exact steps differ by model and DiLink version — search for the ADB unlock procedure for your specific vehicle.

Once ADB is enabled, turn on Wireless ADB debugging and Debug mode when USB is connected in the head unit’s Developer Options.

Install the APK

1. From a computer: connect to the head unit with Android platform tools installed and run adb install with the downloaded APK.
2. Or via USB stick: copy the APK to the root of a FAT32-formatted USB stick, insert it into the head unit, open the head unit’s File Manager, and tap the APK. Allow installation from unknown sources if prompted.

Disable the self-start restriction

Caution

After every install or update, the head unit may add the Car App to its self-start restriction list. If that restriction stays on, the head unit kills the app in the background and it disconnects while you drive. Open Settings → Apps → Self-Start Management, find BYD EV Pro, and make sure the self-start restriction is off. Repeat this after every update.

Updating

To update, download the newer APK from the Releases page and reinstall it with the same steps above. Your data is kept. After updating, check the self-start restriction again. An in-app updater is in development and will be documented here once it is available.

Prerequisites

• A BYD vehicle with a DiLink head unit that can run the Car App.
• The latest BYD EV Pro APK, downloaded from the Releases page.
• ADB enabled on the head unit (see Installation above) — required before the Car App can connect.
• Vehicle permissions requested by the Car App, including DiLink access where the firmware exposes it.
• Access to required DiLink/ADB system permissions if the official installation or support flow asks you to enable them.
• T-Box hardware only if you need T-Box-only behavior such as proximity unlock, T-Box GPS/state, or T-Box command routing.

First run

1. Open BYD EV Pro on the DiLink head unit.
2. Keep the head unit awake while the app connects to the DiLink data layer.
3. On the very first connection, accept the Allow USB debugging? dialog on the head unit — tap Always allow. The connection indicator turns green once the connection is trusted.
4. Confirm the dashboard starts receiving live vehicle values.
5. Open the licence area to restore an existing licence or explicitly start a trial if the app offers that action.
6. Configure optional integrations only after the Car App is receiving vehicle data.

Optional next steps

• Pair the Companion App by scanning a QR from the Car App.
• Pair a T-Box if you need proximity behavior, T-Box GPS, or T-Box command routing.
• Configure Home Assistant if you want webhook-driven sensors and a device tracker.

Troubleshooting

If the dashboard does not receive vehicle data, keep the head unit awake and restart the Car App once. If connected features like Companion App or Telegram stop working but the dashboard is fine, check internet connectivity and license status.

The Car App shows a connection indicator. When contacting support, report its colour:

• Grey — not connected. ADB is not enabled on the head unit.
• Blue (pulsing) — connecting. The connection key has not been trusted yet; accept the Allow USB debugging? dialog on the head unit.
• Green — fully connected.
• Red — error. The vehicle service is temporarily unavailable; restart the Car App, and reboot the head unit if it persists.