GLOSSARY

Let us take you on a quick walk through the basic terms in vehicle diagnostics and advanced automotive solutions!
In the Abrites Glossary you will find all the important terms and abbreviations we could think of regarding your everyday work or keen interest in cars and all things on wheels, rolling around because of an engine. We hope that this database will be useful whenever you seek more information on the matter and we will be happy to develop it further together with you!


A
•    ABC - Active body control
•    ABS - Anti-lock Brake System
•    ACS - Automatic clutch system
•    Actuator - a device that produces linear or rotary motion by converting energy and signals
•    Actuator testing - a process in which you run diagnostics and send a command to an actuator to check if it functions properly
•    ADM - Automatic Dimming Inside Rear-view Mirror
•    ADS - Automatic damping system (suspension)
•    Advanced coding - programming/flashing a unit or units in the vehicle to access specific features
•    Airbag exchange - the process of replacing an airbag module
•    Airbag renewal - resetting a used airbag module to factory settings in order for it to be used on a vehicle
•    Airbag replacement - similar to airbag exchange
•    ALL KEYS LOST - when there are no available keys to a vehicle
•    AAM - All Activity Module
•    Android Screen Mirroring - when you can show your Android's phone display on the screen of your car
•    Apple CarPlay - playing media from your iPhone via your car's multimedia
•    APS - Auto pilot system
•    AVDI - Abrites Vehicle Diagnostics Interface


B
•    BAS - Brake Assist System
•    BCM - body control module
•    BCMalignment - the recognition and authorisation of all modules in the vehicle by the body control module
•    BDC - Body Domain Controller, a control unit used in BMW/Mini/Rolls Royce vehicles
•    Benchmode - read/write ECU flashes using a direct connection to the ECU pins
•    Boot mode - similar to the bench work, but there are pins that directly connected to the chipboard of the ECU, as well, in order to read and write the full memory
•    BSI - Built-in Systems Interface; The BSI unit is basically a computer which handles a multitude of functions such as odometer value, central locking, lights and immobiliser

C
•    CAN/CAN bus - Controller Area Network, a protocol via which the microcontrollers and devices in the vehicle communicate between each other
•    CAS - car access system
•    CEM - central electronic module
•    Clustercalibration - adjusting values in the cluster (e.g. mileage values when exchanging the module)
•    Coding - programming a unit or units in the vehicle
•    Comfortcontrolmodule - controls all electronics in the car
•    Componentprotection - a security system created by VAG, regarding the exchange of modules in the vehicle

D
•    DAS - drive authorisation system
•    Dashboard - the display and gauges showing detailed information on your vehicle's speed, temperature, and other data
•    DTC - diagnostic trouble codes
•    Donorvehicle - the vehicle from which spare modules or parts are taken
•    DST-AES - a type of key, using the Advanced Encryption Standard, a symmetric block cipher

E
•    ECU - engine control unit
•    ECU flash/flashing - see Flashing; applying changes to the ECU processor or memory chip
•    ECU programming - see ECU flashing
•    ECU re-flash/re-flashing - see ECU flashing
•    ECU renewal - the process of replacing the ECU of a vehicle with a new or a used one
•    ECU adaptation - the process of programming the ECU to a certain vehicle
•    ECU replacement - the process of replacing the ECU of a vehicle with a new or a used one
•    EGR - Exhaust Gas Re-circulation
•    EGS - Electronic Gear Switch (Auto transmission)
•    EIS - Electronic ignition system
•    EISESL - Electronic Ignition Switch and Electronic Steering Lock system
•    EI - Electronic Ignition (distributorless)
•    EIFI - Electronic In-line Fuel Injection
•    ELV -  Electronic Steering Lock in Mercedes vehicles
•    Emergencystart - the process of starting a vehicle in order to drive it to the nearest garage to be serviced
•    Emulator - an electronic device which imitates a program or another device
•    Erasingdiagnostictroublecodes - removing detected errors
•    ESL - Electronic steering locks
•    ESP - Electronic Stability Program
•    ETC - Electronic Transmission Control
•    EZS - Electronic starter switch

F
•    Fast coding - a pre-set list of coding options, developed by Abrites based on popular demand by automotive professionals; the action of unlocking various options in your vehicle, e.g. folding mirrors, start/stop system settings
•    FEM - Front Electronic Module, a control unit used in BMW/Mini/Rolls Royce vehicles, see also BDC
•    Flash/flashing - or ECU flashing is the process of changing the software and modifying the processors or memory chip of the vehicle's units

G
•    Gateway - a central hub in the vehicle that securely interconnects and processes data across heterogeneous vehicle networks to and from functional domains such as power-train, chassis and safety, body control, infotainment, telematics and advanced driving assistance systems

H
•    HFS - Hands free system
•    HFM - Hands free module
•    Hardware - the electronic device or devices, used for a certain operation, which use specific software
•    HT-AES - a type of key, using the Advanced Encryption Standard, a symmetric block cipher

I
•    Immobiliser/Immobilizer - a security system
•    ID code box reset - a procedure which is performed to ease key programming and Smart System replacement in Toyota vehicles
•    Infotainment - a system for playing audio and visual media in your vehicle
•    Instrument cluster - a module in the vehicle, containing important information about speed, pressure, temperature; a dashboard
•    IPC - instrument panel cluster
•    IR - infrared, referring to a keys in automotive context

K
•    Key learning - the process of authorising a key or keys to a car
•    Key programming - see key learning
•    Keyless Vehicle Module - a module, related to the remote-control functions regarding the vehicle

L
•    Live data - allows seeing real-time information given by the vehicle's sensors
•    Live values - see live data

M
•    MCU - microcontroller unit
•    Mileage calibration/ Mileage recalibration - programming the odometer data
•    MLB - Modularer Längsbaukasten or Modular Longitudinal Matrix in English, a platform used in some VAG vehicles (e.g. Audi A4 B8, A5, A6, A7, A8, Porsche Macan)
•    Module - automotive component
•    Moduleadaptation - the process of programming a new or used module to a vehicle
•    Moduleexchange/ Partsexchange - see module adaptation
•    Moduleneutralisation/neutralization - to reset a used module in order to adapt it to another vehicle
•    Modulerenewal - see module neutralisation
•    Modulereplacement - see module exchange
•    Modulescanning - a diagnostic procedure in which the diagnostic tool detects all the modules in the vehicle
•    MQB - Modularer Querbaukasten,  which means "Modular Transversal Toolkit" or "Modular Transverse Matrix" (translated from German), a platform used in some VAG vehicles.

O
•    OBD - on-board diagnostics; OBD systems give the vehicle owner or repair technician access to the status of the various vehicle sub-systems
•    OBDII - improvement over OBD-I in terms of capability and standardization; the OBD-II standard specifies the type of diagnostic connector and its pinout, the electrical signaling protocols available, and the messaging format
•    OBD port - on-board diagnostics port, a port used to access the vehicle's computer for various tasks, such as tests and diagnostics
•    Odometer calibration - reprogramming the odometer, mileage calibration
•    OEM - original equipment manufacturer

P
•    Parts exchange - the process of replacing parts and modules in a vehicle
•    PassThru - a driver allowing you to use OEM tools with non-OEM software
•    PATS initialisation/ PATS initialization - Passive Anti-Theft System, a security system
•    PIN - product identification number, 17-digit code
•    PIN code extraction - a process of revealing the vehicle's PIN
•    PIN code reading - see PIN code extraction
•    Proxi alignment - the process of communication between the vehicle and all modules and electronic control units; programming new or used modules to FCA vehicles


R
•   RFA - Remote function actuator
•   RFAmodule - see KVM (Keyless Vehicle Module)
•   RPM - Revolutions Per Minute (Engine Speed)

S
•    Smart key - an electronic access and authorisation system for locking and unlocking a vehicle
•    Software - programs that tell your computer, interface or automotive unit what to do
•    Special function - an important software component of the Abrites ecosystem, allowing you to perform hundreds of procedures, like key programming, module replacement, various coding operations
•    SRS -Supplemental Restraint System (Airbag)

T
•    TCU - transmission control unit
•    Transponder - a key device that answers to a radio-frequency

U
•    UWB - ultra wide band

V
•    Vehicle diagnostics - the mechanics involved with identifying and assessing problems that may negatively affect the normal operation of a vehicle
•    VIM - video in motion, a feature allowing you to play video on your multimedia display while driving
•    VIN - vehicle identification number, 17-digit code
•    VINreading - the process in which the VIN of a vehicle is read

We are working on enriching this Glossary page, make your suggestions for it at blog@abrites.com!