New! Beta Automotive Software

PicoScope Automotive 6 is the latest release of our highly-successful automotive diagnostics software. We took what we had learned from PicoScope 5, listened to what you told us, and then started again — from scratch. The result: PicoScope 6 is a brand-new diagnostic tool — not just a simple upgrade. PicoScope 6 has higher performance and more powerful features, yet is even easier-to-use than previous versions.

PicoScope Automotive

Higher performance

PicoScope 6 offers a new level of performance: along with faster data processing and improved support for the latest USB automotive oscilloscopes, faster capture rates make it easier for you to see fast-moving signals.

Never miss that elusive problem waveform

No more having to stop the scope as soon as you notice a fault: the new waveform buffer in PicoScope 6 can hold multiple waveforms in memory, allowing you to stop the scope and then review up to 32 previously captured waveforms.

Control capture rates

PicoScope 6 allows you to reduce the number of data frames per second that your scope captures. This can help to conserve valuable power when your laptop is running on batteries.

More professional printouts

With both colour printing and a new black and white printing mode, printed waveforms look more professional — making them easier to work with and ideal for showing to your customers.

custom probes

Custom Probes

With PicoScope 6 there is no need to create a custom range every time you want to add a new probe or sensor. The new Custom Probes feature lets you quickly add a new probe or sensor using an easy-to-use wizard.

More powerful features

PicoScope 6 includes smarter and more powerful features than previous versions of PicoScope. As well as the ones described above, other features include:

  • Multiple views of the same data, with individual zoom, pan and filter settings for each view

  • Organise the data views however you want with the power of drag-and-drop

  • Zoom-in to a point of interest quickly with the intuitive point-and-click zoom controls

  • Specify a delay between the trigger and start of the capture directly in units of time

  • Achieve more than twice the screen update rate on the latest devices (where PC specification and chosen settings allow)

Improved usability and appearance

Along with the increased performance and new features, we’ve also made PicoScope 6 easier to use:

  • Draggable rulers make it easier to move traces apart.

  • Clearer graphics and text together with the ability to enlarge font sizes on measurements means that the screen is easier to read — even from a distance.

  • Tooltips appear when you hover your mouse over a control, making it easy to understand what everything does.

  • Point-and-click tools make panning and zooming quick and easy.

  • User-configurable toolbars let you position the controls where you want them.

Why is this a ‘beta’ release?

This version of PicoScope 6 is a beta release. What does that mean? Well, although it has been thoroughly tested we cannot guarantee that it will be stable under all conditions. Our software engineers are continuously working to add new features and to increase the performance, but we haven’t yet implemented the full sweep of features that a few automotive users may use.

We recommend that you download your free copy of PicoScope 6 and take full advantage of the increased performance and powerful features that make PicoScope version 6 easier and quicker to use. PicoScope 6 can be installed and used alongside PicoScope 5* — this is particularly useful if you require some of the features that have not yet been implemented (see below).  You may download the user manual for PicoScope 6 here.

These features have not yet been implemented:

  • Spectrum analyzer

  • XY view

  • Autosetup

  • Overlay mode

  • Persistence modes

  • ETS triggering mode

Remember to bookmark this page so you know when we update the software.

* Files saved in PicoScope 6 cannot be opened with PicoScope 5 and it is recommended that you have the latest versions of both applications installed to minimize the risk of driver incompatibilities.

 

PicoScope Automotive Software Topics

To help with diagnosing faults Picoscope Automotive Diagnostic Software contains reference topics on vehicle components and systems—including sensors, actuators, ignition and CAN Bus.

Each topic shows you how to connect the automotive diagnostic equipment, gives advice on what the waveform should look like and gives general technical information on the component being tested.

Listed below are details of all the topics that are included in the software. Follow the links below for examples of some of the topics included—these example topics are also included in the free demo version of the automotive software.

Sensors

  • Air flow meter - hot wire
  • Air flow meter - air vane
  • Airflow - diesel Bosch common rail
  • Air intake pressure - diesel Bosch common rail
  • Camshaft sensor - inductive
  • Camshaft sensor - Hall effect
  • Camshaft sensor - AC excited
  • Camshaft sensor - diesel Bosch common rail
  • Coolant temperature sensor
  • Coolant temperature sensor - Vauxhall Simtec
  • Crankshaft sensor - inductive
  • Crankshaft sensor - Hall effect
  • Distributor pick-up - inductive
  • Distributor pick-up - Hall effect
  • Knock sensor
  • Lambda sensor - Zirconia
  • Lambda sensor - Titania
  • MAP sensor - analogue
  • MAP sensor - digital
  • Road speed sensor - Hall effect
  • Throttle pedal switch - diesel Bosch common rail
  • Throttle position - switch
  • Throttle position - potentiometer

 

Actuators

  • Carbon canister solenoid valve
  • EGR solenoid valve
  • Fuel pump
  • Idle speed control valve - rotary
  • Idle speed control valve - electromagnetic
  • Injector - multi-point (voltage)
  • Injector - multi-point (current)
  • Injector - single point (voltage)
  • Injector - single point (current)
  • Injector - diesel Bosch common rail (current)
  • Injector voltage vs current
  • Injector current vs primary ignition
  • Stepper motor

 

injector

Injector — multi-point

 

Ignition

  • Amplifier earth
  • ECM to amplifier digital signal
  • Ford - EDIS unit PIP / SAW signals
  • Primary (voltage)
  • Primary (current)
  • Primary ignition vs crank angle sensor
  • Primary vs Secondary
  • Secondary - distributor system (king lead)
  • Secondary - distributor system (plug lead)
  • Secondary - distributorless system or coil per cylinder system (negative fired)
  • Secondary - distributorless system (positive fired)
  • Secondary - coil output test

 

CAN Bus

 

 CAN bus diagnostics

CAN Bus

FirstLook

 

FirstLook

FirstLook sensor

Miscellaneous

  • Alternator current and voltage
  • Alternator waveform
  • ABS speed sensor
  • Relative compression - petrol
  • Relative compression - diesel
  • Diesel glow plugs

 

glowplug

Diesel Glow plugs