09/06/2026
THE NEXT GENERATION
(this is wordy, please bear with me)
What you are looking at here are a few images sent to me today by our business partner Mike Folcik of Folcik Enterprises. He's working on a new prototype LCD for our "THE NEXT GENERATION" AC controller!
For years now, I've been talking about what will be coming in the future for our Dash Kit product, as well as the Dual K**b Retrofit Kit we've been working on. I know, it's taken forever, but progress IS being made, so bear with us.
BACKGROUND
As many of you know, the old AC controller in our dash kit was based on a very outdated processor chip that was very limited in capability, limited in on-board memory, limited in speed, and difficult to program and create code for. Mike was able to use clever programming tricks to push it FAR beyond what it was originally designed to do!
During the whole Covid mess, we endured a worldwide microchip shortage, and that old processor chip went out of production, so he had to stop making AC controllers for our Dash Kits.
That is, until his schedule allowed enough time for him to create a new version or a "Next Generation" AC controller, built around a more modern processor chip. And, now will feature a modern capacitive touchscreen!
Mike operates his own electronics design firm now, and works on several big money projects that have nothing to do with these cars (such as teleprompter systems for TV stations and other products). So he stays pretty busy, and we have to steal his time here or there as available to work on our G8 stuff.
He currently has a slight break in his schedule, and is taking the time to move forward on "The Next Generation" AC controller based on a new chip.
NEW PROCESSOR CHIP - WHAT IT CAN DO
This is a modern high-performance processor chip. It has integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and many advanced functions.
This new setup will allow cool things like animated graphics (spinning fan blades on the fan speed buttons), left-right swipe capability, swipe up/down menu, stuff like that. And creating graphics for it will be super simple.
Mike says it's also WAY easier to code and program for, so it will reduce the many hours HE himself has to pour into making it work for the HVAC and systems in these cars. That last part is important!
THIS IS AT THE EARLY PROTOTYPE STAGE
Before everybody gets all excited and starts hounding me with "when can I get this?", Mike is doing preliminary design work on this right now, we have NO timeline on when it will be "ready for primetime". AT LEAST IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING!
It WILL use a new capacitive LCD touchscreen, it will have all new graphics, what you see here are the engine gauge screens just to demo how it can display your G8's engine gauge functions and what that might look like.
It will have DUAL CONTROL K***S with multi-function features as well as improved multi-touch capabilities on the LCD screen for controlling various functions. And other cool features that Mike is dreaming up, so stay tuned for further updates.
Mike will be sending me a prototype in the coming days to do some testing with in my G8, and I'll report on that when possible. No, we don't need any beta testers currently, but we appreciate the interest!
WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE DUAL K**B RETROFIT KIT?
Mike and I are still collaborating on that upgrade for everybody who has the existing kits.
I've been collaborating with Zachary Watts up in Michigan of IPF Racing, well-known in the G8 world for creating his 3D printed G8 parts - we've been working on the new plastic fascia design for the Dual K**b kit. He's printed a couple of fascia test pieces and we'll be tweaking the 3D model and working out some fixes, features, and enhancements in the coming days.
THIS PAGE HAS BEEN FAIRLY QUIET LATELY, I KNOW
I know I haven't posted a lot about things lately, I wanted to wait until I had some serious news for everybody. I've said before, if we were a big corporation with deep pockets, we'd just hire some engineers and crank out new products in a few months, but that's not our situation. Product development just takes us longer - sorry about that!
Things ARE happening behind the scenes, we ARE moving forward on Dual K**b and now the NEXT GENERATION AC controller is officially in the prototype stage.
Please don't hound me begging for updates, begging for pricing, begging for an availability date, I simply DO NOT have any of that right now. There are many details, nuts and bolts, and physical design things to do in the meantime.
I just wanted everyone to get a little taste of what's happening, and please STAY TUNED for further updates!
