Is the Pi 3 able to be used as a dashboard for a driving sim?

Question

Is there a way to make a dashboard for a driving game using a Raspberry Pi? I have a vision of it looking like a real dash in a semi. Though I don't know much bout this stuff but i'd like to have physical switches or gauges. I have seen stuff like it but there's no real how to. Feel free to msg me or comment or do the project.

beacon_dave · Answer

Chances are, if you are wanting to use this with an existing driving game, like Euro Truck Simulator, then you will have to base it around a USB game controller in order to interface with the game. In which case you are probably just emulating a keyboard / mouse. The likes of the Arduino Leonardo or micro make this simple as the ATmega 32U4 microcontroller has USB HID support built in, and you can use several of them attached to your various dashboard switches and indicator lights.

Perhaps take a look at these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5FzCAonZtE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd2TfuvxrTQ

Derek Speare Designs - Main

beacon_dave · Answer

Perhaps take a look at this build just to get started: PIK3A: The Raspberry Pi 3 IKEA Retro Gaming Table It is using an Arduino Leonardo to convert the button presses and joystick movements into keyboard commands in order to replace a USB keyboard. Instead of in a gaming table, these switches could be on the dash of your semi cockpit. You may also be interested in this U-HID board which does something similar to the above: Uhid :

beacon_dave · Answer

I've not looked that deep but it looks like they are available according to this blog: SCS Software's blog: A look on the technical side: Telemetry SDK

beacon_dave · Answer

Start by going here: https://www.raspberrypi.org/learning/software-guide/ and follow the set-up guides. Note that just saying that it "doesn't work" is not very meaningful - you need to explain what steps you have actually taken, what you were expecting to happen, what doesn't happen etc. any indictors such as LED status. R-Pi troubleshooting: https://elinux.org/R-Pi_Troubleshooting The 16x2 LCD hat will likely require extra configuration steps (such as enabling I2C on the GPIO) however that will depend upon exactly which hat you purchased.