T-Box Hardware Overview
T-Box is optional hardware that adds proximity auto-lock/unlock, GPS tracking, and remote commands while your vehicle is off. This page describes what it does and how pairing works. Physical installation requirements — connector, power, placement — are still pending and will be documented separately.
What T-Box adds
Section titled “What T-Box adds”- Proximity auto-lock/unlock — the T-Box detects your phone’s Bluetooth signal and locks or unlocks the vehicle automatically when you approach or leave.
- GPS tracking — location data is collected even when the head unit is off.
- Remote commands while the vehicle is off — commands from the Companion App are delivered through the T-Box when the head unit can’t receive them.
- Firmware updates — the Car App can deliver T-Box firmware updates over Bluetooth.
- Diagnostics — the T-Box publishes status and diagnostic logs.
What works without T-Box
Section titled “What works without T-Box”- Car App dashboard and local controls while the head unit is running.
- Companion App car-only QR pairing.
- Home Assistant webhook pushes from the Car App.
What requires T-Box
Section titled “What requires T-Box”- Proximity auto-lock/unlock.
- T-Box GPS breadcrumbs/state.
- Remote commands received by the T-Box while the head unit is off or asleep.
- T-Box firmware update delivery.
- T-Box diagnostics and logs.
Requirements before setup
Section titled “Requirements before setup”- Product-approved physical installation, power, wiring, fuse, and placement instructions.
- A powered T-Box that advertises over BLE with a name like
EVP-tbox-XXXXXX. - Internet access from the Car App/head unit during the pairing process so per-device credentials can be created.
- Car App/head-unit BLE access during provisioning and BLE OTA updates.
- Confirmed cellular/SIM/eSIM or other network path for modem-backed Cloud/GPS behavior.
TODO: Product clarification needed — Which T-Box hardware revision, connector, power input, fuse rating, placement, and safety limits should public docs require before setup?
Pairing and provisioning
Section titled “Pairing and provisioning”The Car App pairing wizard scans for nearby Bluetooth devices named like EVP-tbox-XXXXXX. It connects to the T-Box, creates per-device credentials via internet, sends them to the T-Box over Bluetooth, then waits for the T-Box to reboot and reconnect.
If credentials cannot be created (for example, no internet during pairing), the wizard fails. It does not fall back to a pre-programmed state.
Connectivity
Section titled “Connectivity”The firmware includes modem PPP, Cloud, WebSocket, and GPS modules. The public docs should not promise a bundled SIM card, a specific mobile operator, or a user data plan policy until product packaging is confirmed.
TODO: Product clarification needed — Does the shipped T-Box include a SIM/eSIM and data service, and what should users do if cellular service is unavailable?
Status indicators
Section titled “Status indicators”The current led_status.c file says T-Box v2 has no status LED on board and preserves the LED API as no-op functions. Older draft LED blink tables are not valid for v2 hardware.
TODO: Product clarification needed — Are there any user-visible indicators on shipping T-Box hardware besides app-reported status?
Firmware updates
Section titled “Firmware updates”When a T-Box firmware update is available, the Car App handles the entire process: it downloads the update, verifies its integrity, transfers it to the T-Box over Bluetooth, and waits for the T-Box to install and reboot. You need the Car App open and Bluetooth active for the update to complete. Updates do not happen automatically in the background.
Installation
Section titled “Installation”TODO: Product clarification needed — What physical installation, wiring, fuse, and placement instructions are approved for public documentation?
Until installation instructions are published here, do not attempt physical installation based on this page alone.