🚗 Smart Vehicle Anti-Theft and Monitoring System

An ESP32-based vehicle security system that combines a physical keypad lock, tilt-based intrusion detection, and a live web dashboard for remote monitoring and control.

Overview

This project turns an ESP32 into a self-contained car security controller. A 4x4 keypad handles PIN entry to arm/disarm and unlock the vehicle, a tilt sensor detects unauthorized movement (e.g. the car being jacked or broken into), and a buzzer + relay provide audible alerts and lock control. The ESP32 also hosts its own web server and serves a real-time dashboard (HTML/CSS/JS) over Wi-Fi, so the system's status, theft alerts, and controls are accessible from any browser on the network — with an automatic fallback to a self-hosted access point if no Wi-Fi network is available.

Key Features

• Keypad-based PIN entry to lock/unlock and arm/disarm the system
• Tilt-sensor intrusion detection with automatic alarm triggering
• Audible buzzer alarm and relay-controlled locking mechanism
• Built-in web dashboard served directly from the ESP32 (via SPIFFS) with live status, charts, and remote controls
• REST-style HTTP API (/api/status, /api/relay, /api/buzzer, /api/password, /api/arm, /api/reset, /api/emergency)
• Automatic fallback to Wi-Fi Access Point mode if the configured network is unreachable
• Failed-attempt tracking with automatic theft-alarm escalation after repeated wrong PIN entries

Technologies Used

Category	Technology
Microcontroller	ESP32
Firmware	Arduino framework (C++)
Libraries	WiFi, AsyncTCP, ESPAsyncWebServer, Keypad, SPIFFS
Dashboard	HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Chart.js

Project Structure

smart-vehicle-anti-theft-system/
├── firmware/
│   ├── car_security_system.ino   # ESP32 firmware: sensors, keypad, alarm, web server
│   └── data/                     # Dashboard served from the device over SPIFFS
│       ├── index.html
│       ├── script.js
│       └── style.css
├── docs/
│   └── Poster.jpg
├── LICENSE
└── README.md

Installation

Hardware: ESP32 dev board, 4x4 matrix keypad, tilt sensor, buzzer, relay module, status LED.

Firmware setup (Arduino IDE):

1. Install the ESP32 board package and the following libraries: AsyncTCP, ESPAsyncWebServer, Keypad.
2. Open firmware/car_security_system.ino.
3. Set your own Wi-Fi credentials — replace the placeholder ssid/password values near the top of the file. Never commit real network credentials.
4. Set your own unlock PIN — replace the placeholder correctPassword value.
5. Upload the firmware/data/ folder to the ESP32's SPIFFS filesystem (via the "ESP32 Sketch Data Upload" tool) so the dashboard can be served locally.
6. Flash the sketch to the board.

Usage

• Enter a PIN on the keypad and press # to unlock, * to clear, A to arm, B to disable an active alarm, C to test the buzzer, and D to print system status to Serial.
• On boot, the ESP32 connects to the configured Wi-Fi network and prints its IP address to Serial — open that address in a browser to view the live dashboard.
• If the configured network isn't reachable, the device automatically starts its own access point (CarSecuritySystem) so the dashboard is still reachable directly.

Demo

Demo.mp4

Future Improvements

• Move Wi-Fi and PIN credentials out of source code into a separate config file (e.g. loaded from SPIFFS) so firmware can be shared without any editing
• Add real GPS module integration to replace the current simulated coordinates
• Add persistent theft-event logging (with timestamps) viewable from the dashboard
• Support push/SMS notifications on theft detection in addition to the on-device alarm

Security Notes

This firmware is a prototype. Before any real-world deployment:

• Never commit real Wi-Fi credentials, unlock PINs, or access-point passwords to source control
• Use a strong, unique PIN and AP password
• Consider adding HTTPS/authentication to the web dashboard before exposing it beyond a trusted local network

License

Released under the MIT License.