Documentation

Everything HybridDash, HybridDash Pro and AutoLock do, explained step by step. Use the contents or search for a word.

Getting started

This applies to all three apps.

What you need

  • A Toyota hybrid. The apps are developed and tested on the Toyota C-HR Hybrid (2021 model). See Compatibility for other models.
  • A Bluetooth Classic OBD-II adapter. vLinker FD+ or FS, with STN chip, are recommended: they respond faster and support advanced commands. Cheap ELM327 adapters often don't work, or work poorly.
  • An Android 8 or later phone with Bluetooth. For HybridDash on Android Auto you also need a car or head unit that supports Android Auto.

Bluetooth LE (BLE) and Wi-Fi adapters are not supported: they don't appear in the device list and can't be used.

Compatibility

CarHybridDashDoor locks (HybridDash, Pro, AutoLock)
Toyota C-HR HybridEvery featureWork
Toyota Yaris Cross HybridThe dashboard worksDon't work
Toyota Yaris HybridShould work like the Yaris Cross, not fully tested yetMost likely don't work
GA-C platform: Corolla Hybrid 2019–2022, 4th-generation Prius (2016–2022), Lexus UX 250hShould work, not tested yetShould work, not tested yet

For apps on Google Play, the free trial (3 days or 10 trips for HybridDash, 5 trips for AutoLock) is there precisely so you can check that everything works on your car before you buy.

Tried it on another car? Write to [email protected] and tell us whether it works: reports make new tests possible and help extend compatibility.

Connecting the OBD-II adapter

  1. Plug the adapter into the car's OBD-II diagnostic port. On Toyota hybrids it is usually under the steering wheel, on the left, near the driver's knees.
  2. Switch the car on (READY) or turn the ignition on.
  3. On your phone open Android Settings → Bluetooth and pair the adapter. The PIN is usually 1234 or 0000.
  4. Go back to the app and pick the adapter from the list of paired devices.

The apps only connect to adapters already paired in Android. If the list is empty, pair the adapter in your phone's Bluetooth settings first, then tap «check again».

Permissions

  • Nearby devices (Bluetooth): to find and connect to the adapter. The apps don't use Bluetooth to locate you.
  • Notifications: for the persistent notification shown while the app works in the background and, in HybridDash, for the end-of-trip summary.

If you permanently denied a permission, the app offers to open system settings so you can grant it.

Running in the background

When the app is connected to the adapter it keeps running in the background with a persistent notification: this way it keeps reading car data and handling the door locks with the screen off or while you use other apps. It stops when the connection ends.

The adapter and the 12 V battery

The adapter stays powered by the OBD-II port even with the car off: it draws about 51 mA when active and about 3 mA in automatic sleep. If you leave the car parked for many days, it's best to unplug it.

HybridDash

The free version, available on Google Play. Everything described here also applies to HybridDash Pro.

First launch

  1. Pair the adapter in Android's Bluetooth settings (see Connecting the adapter).
  2. Open HybridDash and go to settings → OBD dongle. Grant the Bluetooth permission if asked.
  3. Pick your adapter from the paired devices. The app connects and the dashboard starts showing values.

The connection state is always visible: disconnected, connecting…, connected or an error message.

The phone dashboard

The main screen is split into sections:

  • Trip: distance, trip-average km/l, share of the trip driven electric (EV), instant consumption.
  • Electric: hybrid battery level and power.
  • Engine: engine power, rpm, coolant, oil and ambient temperatures, warm-up stage.

Instant consumption is always in km/l. With the engine off you read EV; above 50 km/l you read 50+.

Tap the dashboard to switch to the dense view: the free version shows the 12 base values, while the Pro version displays all 26 telemetry signals and advanced HV signals. Hold a tile to choose which value it shows: the change applies to both the phone and Android Auto.

A value shown as -- isn't available right now (for example because the car doesn't provide it). A value labelled unverified is read, but its interpretation hasn't been confirmed on the car yet.

HybridDash on Android Auto

Connect your phone to the car: HybridDash appears among your Android Auto apps. It shows a grid of values you can read at a glance, with 12 positions organized across pages: on widescreen displays there are 2 pages (8 values on the first and 4 on the second), while on standard-resolution displays there are 4 pages of 3 values each.

To choose the values go to settings → display → Android Auto widget graphics customization and tap a position to change its value.

The 12 values available in the free version:

  • instant consumption and trip-average km/l, distance, trip EV share
  • hybrid battery state of charge and power
  • engine state (S0–S4), thermal power, engine rpm
  • engine coolant, oil and outside temperatures

In HybridDash Pro, all 26 telemetry values are available (including HV battery voltage and current, MG motor torque and rpm, inverter and catalyst temperatures, load, throttle, brake pressure).

While driving, the Android Auto screen is read-only: there are no menus or buttons to tap.

Power unit

In settings → display choose whether engine and battery power are shown in kW or in CV (metric horsepower). Consumption always stays in km/l.

End-of-trip summary

At the end of a trip HybridDash can show a notification with a summary:

  • distance and duration, average and top speed
  • average km/l and litres used
  • share of the trip driven electric, by time and by distance
  • maximum engine rpm and coolant temperature at the start and end of the trip
  • hybrid battery charge: minimum, maximum, final value and change
  • 12 V battery voltage, with a warning if it's low

Turn it on or off in settings → display, where you can also send a test notification with sample data. Received summaries stay available in trip report notifications history.

Trip sessions and CSV export

Every trip is recorded on your phone as a session. In settings → trip sessions you'll find the list with date and duration; from there you can:

  • export a session as CSV and share it with the app you prefer (e-mail, Drive, a spreadsheet…)
  • end the session in progress
  • delete one session or all of them

Trips older than 30 days are deleted automatically. Export only happens when you ask for it.

Automatic door locks

HybridDash can lock and unlock the doors for you. It's a paid feature with a free trial.

  1. In settings → door lock management tap enable door locks, read the notice and accept it.
  2. Choose how to lock:
    • automatic speed-based locking: doors lock when you exceed the chosen threshold (10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 km/h);
    • lock on shift to D: doors lock as soon as you shift from P to D. Not available while speed-based locking is on.
  3. Optionally turn on unlock on shift to P: doors unlock when you shift to P, only with the car stopped.

The same section has lock now and unlock now buttons and shows the current door status.

If the connection to the adapter drops, doors are unlocked only if the car is stopped in P. While driving they stay as they are.

See also Free trial and purchase and Safety.

Consumption calibration

Consumption is estimated from engine data. To make it more accurate on your car you can calibrate it with a real fill-up, from settings → other → consumption correction factor calibration:

  1. Fill the tank and reset the counter on the calibration screen.
  2. Drive normally until the next fill-up.
  3. At the next fill-up enter the litres you put in and the kilometres driven (used as a cross-check against the distance measured by the app).
  4. Let the app compute the proposed factor, then save it and reset the counter.

The calibration screen is currently in Italian only.

Diagnostics

The diagnostics section in settings helps you understand what's going on when something doesn't work:

  • adapter model, firmware and support for fast (ST) commands;
  • gear lever position as read from the car;
  • target and measured reading rate (if it's lower than expected, «degraded» appears);
  • values the car doesn't return, which are requested less often;
  • when HybridDash was last seen on Android Auto and at what resolution.

Advanced tools: PID definitions and discovery

For advanced users HybridDash includes:

  • PID definitions: the list of signals read from the car, each with its formula. It can be edited, exported to a file and imported from a file (5 MB max);
  • discovery, from the link at the bottom of the dashboard: tools to find new signals of your own car by recording and comparing the control unit's responses.

You don't need them for normal use. Editing the definitions can make the app show wrong values: always export a copy before changing them.

HybridDash Pro

The complete version, sold on this site and installed from the .apk file. It contains everything in HybridDash, plus the following.

Installation and updates

  1. After purchase you receive an e-mail with the download link. Open it on your phone and download the .apk file.
  2. Open the file and, when Android asks, allow Install unknown apps for your browser or the app you opened it from.
  3. To see it on Android Auto: open the Android Auto app on your phone, tap Version 10 times to enable developer settings, then turn on Unknown sources in the developer settings menu.

To update, download the file again from the link in your purchase e-mail and install it over the existing version: your settings and trips are kept. Version 1.x updates are included.

HybridDash and HybridDash Pro are separate apps and can be installed side by side on the same phone.

Installing Pro with KingInstaller and Shizuku (Pixel)

This is the method the author uses on a Pixel: KingInstaller (v1.9) installs the .apk file with Shizuku's permissions, that is through Android's «wireless debugging», with no cable and no computer. It needs Android 11 or later and a Wi-Fi network.

  1. Download the HybridDash Pro .apk file on your phone from the link in the purchase e-mail. It stays in the Downloads folder.
  2. Install the Shizuku app from the Play Store. Also install KingInstaller (version 1.9).
  3. Turn on developer options: Settings → About phone, tap Build number 7 times and enter your PIN if asked.
  4. Connect the phone to Wi-Fi. Go to Settings → System → Developer options and turn on Wireless debugging; if Android asks to allow it on this network, confirm.
  5. Open Shizuku and choose Start via wireless debugging (or «Pairing»). When Shizuku asks, open Developer options → Wireless debugging → Pair device with pairing code.
  6. A 6-digit code appears. Type it into the Shizuku notification (tap the notification and use the reply field) and wait for «Pairing successful».
  7. Go back to Shizuku and tap Start. When you read Shizuku is running at the top, the hard part is done.
  8. Open KingInstaller, go to its settings and choose Shizuku (ADB) as the install mode. When Shizuku asks for permission, tap Allow.
  9. In KingInstaller pick the HybridDash Pro .apk from the Downloads folder and tap Install. When it finishes, the app shows up among your apps.
  10. To see it on Android Auto the step in «Installation and updates» still applies: turn on Unknown sources in Android Auto's developer settings.

Shizuku stops when you restart the phone: to install an update, repeat steps 4-7 (the pairing in steps 5-6 usually doesn't need to be redone). Menu names can differ a little between Android and app versions: look for the entry with the same meaning.

Activating the licence

The HybridDash Pro licence is personal and valid for up to two cars.

  1. Connect the Pro to your car with the adapter as usual. The app recognises the car by its chassis number (VIN); if the car doesn't provide it, it recognises it by the adapter.
  2. If the car isn't activated yet, Activate HybridDash Pro appears instead of the dashboard: paste the licence key you received by e-mail and tap activate. This step needs an internet connection.
  3. From then on the car stays activated: the app works without internet too. On Android Auto, until the car is activated, you'll see «attiva la licenza sul telefono» (activate the licence on your phone).

To move the licence to another car, connect to the car you want to remove and use settings → licence → release this car. Do this before uninstalling the Pro or changing phone too: a reinstall doesn't remember activated cars and would count one too many. If you've run out of slots, write to [email protected].

Simulation and replay of a recorded trip work without a licence too, so you can try the app before connecting it to the car.

The graphical dashboard on Android Auto

Instead of the grid of values, the Pro draws a complete dashboard on the car screen, running smoothly at 30 frames per second:

  • ring speedometer with your speed;
  • energy flows between engine, battery and wheels, so you can see when the engine is pushing, when you're driving electric and when you're recovering energy under braking;
  • power bar and tiles with the values you choose;
  • live fuel consumption graph (in settings → display, option «consumption trend on instrument cluster»).

The dashboard adapts to Android Auto's split screen, for example next to navigation.

Tap the screen to switch to the dense view, with more values in compact form; tap again to go back to the dashboard. That's the only interaction: there are no menus.

In settings → display → Android Auto widget graphics customization tap a position in the layout to choose the value it shows.

Braking display

The Pro shows when, on top of regenerative braking, the mechanical brakes (the pads) engage. In settings → brake management:

  • red bar during mechanical braking: the power bar turns red when the hydraulic brakes engage;
  • brake icon during mechanical braking: shows the brake symbol next to the bar;
  • hydraulic brakes intervention threshold: the pressure, in bar, above which braking counts as mechanical (a recommended value is marked).

It helps you learn to brake while recovering as much energy as possible.

Vehicle background

In settings → vehicle background choose the silhouette shown behind the dashboard: C-HR, Yaris, Yaris Cross, Corolla, Corolla Cross or RAV4, or no background. It's purely graphical: the data read stays the same whichever silhouette you pick.

Simulation and replay

In settings → transport the Pro offers three data sources:

  • Bluetooth: the adapter in the car, for normal use;
  • synthetic (no hardware): a simulated trip, to try the app and Android Auto without a car or adapter;
  • replay (recorded log): plays back a recorded trip imported from a CSV file, with adjustable playback speed and loop.

Door locks included

In the Pro the automatic door locks work as in HybridDash, but they are included with no limits: just accept the notice, with no trial and no purchase.

Licence, price and discount for Google Play buyers

HybridDash Pro costs €9.99 one-time, with version 1.x updates included and no subscription. Payment is handled by Lemon Squeezy, which issues the receipt and applies your country's VAT.

Already bought door locks in HybridDash on Google Play? Send your Google Play order number (it starts with GPA. and is in the receipt Google e-mailed you) to [email protected]: you'll get a discount code and the Pro costs you €4.

Personal licence, valid for up to two cars. You activate it once in the app with the licence key you receive by e-mail (activation needs an internet connection).

AutoLock

The app dedicated to door locks only, available on Google Play.

First launch

  1. On first launch read the important notice, tick «I understand and accept the terms of use» and tap Continue.
  2. Pair the adapter in Android's Bluetooth settings (see Connecting the adapter).
  3. In AutoLock tap Selected adapter and pick your adapter from the paired ones.
  4. Tap Connect. The status changes to Connected.

From then on AutoLock works in the background: you don't need to keep it open.

Automations

In the Comfort Automations section:

  • Auto-Lock by Speed: doors lock when you exceed the chosen threshold (10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 km/h);
  • Lock on Shift to Drive: doors lock as soon as you shift from P to D. Not available while Auto-Lock by Speed is on;
  • Unlock on Shift to Park: doors unlock when you shift back to P, only with the car stopped.

Manual door control

The LOCK DOORS and UNLOCK DOORS buttons send the command immediately. Above the buttons you see the current door status; after each tap you get «Command sent» or an error message.

Appearance

In the Appearance section choose the style, Modern or Classic, and the theme, Dark or Light.

Recommended adapter

AutoLock recommends the vLinker FD+ or MC+, with STN chip: fast response times and compatibility with Toyota TNGA hybrids. The «View on Amazon» button opens the product page; the link may contain an affiliate code, at no extra cost to you.

Trial and purchases

Free trial and purchase

In HybridDash you get a free trial of 3 calendar days or 10 trips (whichever expires first) with all features: full telemetry (12 essential metrics on phone and Android Auto) and comfort door locks. In AutoLock you get 5 free trial trips.

A trial trip is only counted if it is a valid trip: you drove at least 300 metres and went above 15 km/h. Switching the car on without moving doesn't use up trips.

When the trial ends, access to HybridDash is unlocked permanently for €5.99 with a single one-time in-app purchase on Google Play (all-in-one option: full telemetry and door locks together, no subscriptions). In AutoLock the lifetime unlock is €3.99. All future updates are included.

Restoring your purchase

New phone, or reinstalled the app? Use the same Google account you bought with and tap Restore Purchase on the unlock screen. If Google Play can't be reached, check your connection and try again.

Safety

How the apps act on the car

  • The apps read car data. The only command they send, and only if you enable door locks, is door lock and unlock.
  • They don't change car settings and don't clear fault codes.
  • Doors are never unlocked while the car is moving.
  • If the connection drops while driving, the doors stay as they are.

Always pay full attention to driving. Don't configure the apps or use your phone while moving. Commands are sent over the vehicle network at your own responsibility; the software is provided «as is», without warranty.

Troubleshooting

The adapter doesn't appear in the list

  • Check that your phone's Bluetooth is on.
  • Pair the adapter in Android's Bluetooth settings first (PIN 1234 or 0000), then go back to the app and tap «check again».
  • BLE and Wi-Fi adapters aren't supported and don't appear: you need a Bluetooth Classic adapter.
  • If you denied the «Nearby devices» permission, grant it from system settings.

Connected, but values stay empty

  • The car must be on (READY) or with the ignition on.
  • Cheap ELM327 adapters often don't respond correctly: try a vLinker FD+ or FS.
  • On cars other than the C-HR some values may be unavailable and stay «--».
  • In HybridDash open Diagnostics to see what the adapter answers.

The app doesn't appear on Android Auto

  • HybridDash: update Android Auto and check the app isn't hidden in Android Auto's «Customise launcher» menu.
  • HybridDash Pro: since it doesn't come from the Play Store, you must enable «Unknown sources» in Android Auto's developer settings (see Installation).
  • AutoLock has no Android Auto screen: it works in the background on your phone.

The doors don't lock

  • Check that your car is one where door locks work (see Compatibility): they don't work on the Yaris Cross.
  • Make sure the app is connected and the right automation is on.
  • If the trial has ended, unlocking the app for life is required to access telemetry and automations.

Contact and privacy

For questions, reports and tests on other cars write to [email protected].

The apps require no account, show no ads and don't send car data to the developer. Details are in the privacy policy.

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