README.md

TeslaBox

Lite, open-source version of teslarpi.com.

Compresses Tesla dashcam and sentry clips, uploads to S3, notifies of events (along with a copy of each clip) via Telegram and allows remote streaming while parked or driving!

Prerequisites

• Raspberry Pi 4 with at least 4GB of ram with case and fan
• Micro-SD card with at least 64GB of storage and card reader
• USB-A to USB-C or USB-C to USB-C (all males) cable
• Some form of WiFi access (preferably in-car)
• AWS account
• Ngrok account (preferably paid)
• Telegram account

Installation

For paid (priority) support please contact teslabox@payymail.com

AWS (required for archiving)

1. Sign into your AWS account
2. Create a new S3 bucket:
   • Bucket name: however you'd like (must be globally unique)
   • AWS region: either us-east-1 or the one closest to you
   • ACL Disabled
   • Block all public access
   • Bucket versioning: Disable
   • Default encryption: Disable
   • Click "Create Bucket"
3. Add a new IAM user:
   • User name: whatever you'd like (i.e teslabox)
   • Select AWS credential type: Access key: - Programmatic access
   • Click "Next: Permissions"
   • Under "Attach existing policies directly" click "Create Policy"
   • Service: S3
   • Actions: PutObject
   • Resource: Add ARN to restrict access
   • Enter your Bucket name from 2.1. and Object name any
   • Click "Add"
   • Click "Next: Tags"
   • Click "Next: Review"
   • Name: "teslabox"
   • Click "Create Policy"
   • Back on the IAM user page, refresh the list of policies and check "teslabox"
   • Click "Next: Tags"
   • Click "Next: Review"
   • Click "Create User"
   • Copy both the Access key ID and Secret access key
4. Note, depending on your S3 usage you will be charged for each clip stored and/or downloaded

Ngrok (required for remote access)

1. Sign into your Ngrok account
2. Retrieve your secret token under Getting Started > Your Authtoken
3. Note, going with a paid plan would simplify remote access with custom subdomains

Telegram (required for notifications)

1. Sign into your Telegram account
2. Search and contact @Botfather user
3. Enter /newbot and follow the wizard to create a new bot and retrieve your secret HTTP API token
4. Contact the new bot you just created and click "Start"
5. Search and contact @get_id_bot user
6. Enter anything to retrieve your Chat ID

Raspberry Pi

1. Download and run Raspberry Pi Imager

2. Write the 32 or 64-bit Lite version to your Micro-SD card

3. Re-insert the Micro-SD card and perform the following: 3.1. Add this to the bottom of config.txt:

   dtoverlay=dwc2
   dtoverlay=disable-bt
   hdmi_blanking=2
   

   3.2. Add this after "rootwait" on cmdline.txt:

   modules-load=dwc2
   

   3.3. Add an empty ssh file (without file extension)

   3.4. Add wpa_supplicant.conf file, change your country and list one or more WiFi networks with increasing priority. If I want TeslaBox to prefer my home network, then my USB access point, then my mobile hotspot:

   ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
   country=US
   update_config=1
   
   network={
     ssid="my_home_wifi_name"
     psk="my_home_wifi_password"
     priority=3
     id_str="home"
   }
   
   network={
     ssid="my_usb_ap_wifi_name"
     psk="my_usb_ap_wifi_password"
     priority=2
     id_str="ap"
   }
   
   network={
     ssid="my_hotspot_wifi_name"
     psk="my_hotspot_wifi_password"
     priority=1
     id_str="hotspot"
   }
   

4. Safely eject the Micro-SD card, insert to your Raspberry Pi and boot it up

5. SSH to your Raspberry Pi:

   • IP should be listed on your Router's DHCP client table
   • Username is pi
   • Default password is raspberry

6. Change the default password using passwd command

7. Perform the following as sudo using sudo -i

   7.1. Allocate USB storage:

   size="$(($(df --output=avail / | tail -1) - 12000000))"
   fallocate -l "$size"K /usb.bin
   mkdosfs /usb.bin -F 32 -I
   mkdir /mnt/usb
   echo "/usb.bin /mnt/usb vfat noauto,users,umask=000 0 0" >> /etc/fstab
   
   touch /etc/modprobe.d/g_mass_storage.conf
   echo "options g_mass_storage file=/usb.bin removable=1 ro=0 stall=0 iSerialNumber=123456" >> /etc/modprobe.d/g_mass_storage.conf
   mkdir -p /mnt/usb/TeslaCam
   

   • 12000000 is 120GB (~93%) of 128GB card (we want around 8GB of unallocated space)
   • Decrease 12000000 to 5600000 for 64GB card
   • Increase 12000000 to 24800000 for 256GB card
   • Increase 12000000 to 50400000 for 512GB card

   7.2. Allocate RAM disk:

   mkdir /mnt/ram
   echo "tmpfs /mnt/ram tmpfs nodev,nosuid,size=4G 0 0" >> /etc/fstab
   

   • 4GB (~50%) if you have a Raspberry Pi board with 8GB of ram
   • Decrease 4GB to 2GB if you have a board with 4GB of ram
   • Decrease 4GB to 1GB if you have a board with 2GB of ram

   7.3. Run raspi-config to set:

   • Variable fan speed (under "Performance") if you have a 3-wires fan
   • Your timezone (under "Localization")
   • Exit without restarting

   7.4. Update system packages, upgrade and install required software:

   curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_14.x | sudo -E bash -
   apt update && apt upgrade -y
   apt install -y nodejs python3-pip ffmpeg fonts-freefont-ttf
   pip install tesla_dashcam
   

   7.5. Download and install TeslaBox and packages:

   cd /root
   curl -o master.zip https://codeload.github.com/mluggy/teslabox/zip/refs/heads/master
   unzip master.zip
   cd teslabox
   export NPM_CONFIG_UNSAFE_PERM=true
   npm install
   

   7.6. Add this just before "exit 0" in /etc/rc.local:

   /usr/sbin/modprobe g_mass_storage & >> /var/log/teslabox.log 2>&1
   /usr/sbin/fsck -a -y /mnt/usb >> /var/log/teslabox.log 2>&1
   mount /mnt/usb & >> /var/log/teslabox.log 2>&1
   

   7.7. Create and edit service variables in /lib/systemd/system/teslabox.service:

   [Unit]
   Description=App
   After=network.target
   
   [Service]
   Environment="NODE_ENV=production"
   
   # To enable archive, enter these
   Environment="AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="
   Environment="AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="
   Environment="AWS_DEFAULT_REGION="
   Environment="AWS_S3_BUCKET="
   
   # To enable telegram notification, enter this
   Environment="TELEGRAM_ACCESS_TOKEN="
   
   # To enable remote access, enter these
   Environment="NGROK_AUTH_TOKEN="
   # Choose the region closest to you (us, eu, ap, au, sa, jp or in)
   Environment="NGROK_REGION=us"
   
   # To enable remote admin access, enter username and password
   Environment="ADMIN_USER="
   Environment="ADMIN_PASSWORD="
   
   # To enable remote public (stream-only) access, enter username and password
   Environment="PUBLIC_USER="
   Environment="PUBLIC_PASSWORD="
   
   # For paid Ngrok accounts, enter your custom admin and/or public subdomains
   Environment="ADMIN_HOST="
   Environment="PUBLIC_HOST="
   
   Type=simple
   User=root
   ExecStart=/usr/bin/node /root/teslabox/src/index.js
   Restart=on-failure
   RestartSec=5
   
   [Install]
   WantedBy=multi-user.target
   

   7.8. Install the service to start at every boot:

   systemctl daemon-reload
   systemctl enable teslabox
   systemctl start teslabox
   systemctl status teslabox
   

   If the status is Green and shows active (running), continue to setup

Setup

Initial setup

Connect TeslaBox to your home network via ethernet cable or home WiFi, browse your device IP address and edit these settings:

• Car name (appears next to each notification)
• Log level (log verbosity. recommended: Debug)
• Archive (enables archiving)
• Archive seconds (the longer you set this, the more time and space each clip would take to process. recommended: 30)
• Archive quality (the higher you set this, the more space each clip would take. recommended: Lower)
• Archive compression (the slower you set this, the less space each clip would take, but also the longer it take to process. recommended: Super fast)
• Telegram recipients (comma seperated list of chat IDs that should be notified. recommended: your Telegram Chat ID)
• Stream (enables streaming)
• SSH (enables remote shell access)
• Public (enables remote public streaming)

In-car connectivity

TeslaBox works best with in-car WiFi. I personally use a 4G USB access point plugged into the main console with a short USB-A (female) to USB-C (male) cable. You can also use your mobile WiFi hotspot, or wait for the car to use your home WiFi as you park.

Admin access

This works if you entered admin user and password. Settings are explained above under Initial setup.

Public access

This works if you entered public user and password. It will restrict public access to stream view only.

Usage

Dashcam

Tesla would recognize the TeslaBox as standard USB. You can click save, honk or use voice commands to capture dashcam clips normaly. Just make sure the TeslaBox is connected properly and the "Record/ing" has a Red dot on the car quick-settings screen.

If archive is enabled, clips will be uploaded to S3 and a copy of each clip (along with the event location) will be sent to your Telegram (assuming you have it set up).

The clip would start X seconds prior to the event ("red dot"). X is settable under Admin > Archive seconds.

Sentry

If archive is enabled and sentry mode is activated, then similarly to dashcam every clip will be uploaded to S3 and/or sent to your Telegram.

The clip would start 10 seconds prior to the event ("red dot") and up to X-10 seconds following the event. X is settable under Admin > Archive seconds.

If the event is sensed on the rear, then the back camera is enlarged, otherwise - front. The side cameras are always smaller.

Stream

This is similar to Tesla's Sentry Mode Live Camera feature but available on any browser. To some extent, you can use it as a public security camera.

There is, however, a 1 minute delay for each clip which is the time it takes to close and prepare the file. You can switch between different angles. Video would automatically progress to the next minute when it is done playing.

If sentry mode is disabled or car is asleep, you might not see any new streams.

This feature is automatically disabled when the car goes to sleep or TeslaBox restarts.

Support

TeslaBox is not affiliated or supported by Tesla. There is no official support whatsoever. As per the license this is provided As-Is. Use at your own risk!

Please open an issue if things seems out of order and I'll attend them as time allows.

Credits

TeslaBox wouldn't become available without the help of teslausb, tesla_dashcam and good friends at Tesla Fans Israel Telegram Group.