We all know that Game Boys were every where during the 2000’s, from schools, to trains to… Puegeot garages?
According to @x_ecutive on Twitter, there were special carts available for the Game Boy line that allowed mechanics to run vehicle diagnostics on certain scooters through the 2000’s.
Specifically, each kit came with either a Game Boy Color or a Game Boy Advance depending on the year that the mechanic purchased it.
This kit came with the unique cartridge that hooked up via a cable, which then connected to the engine control unit. Another cable then attached to the brake electrical system to run the data.
The images shown above features a Game Boy Advance SP as part of the “Peugeot Diag200” Kit, alongside the official cables and cartridge.
According to Motor1, mechanics could use the Game Boy to show throttle position, engine speed and temperature functions, alongside reading and clearing fault codes.
With the press of a few buttons on the handheld, mechanics could start actuators to make sure the ignition, pumps, and injectors are working flawlessly.
Which kinda makes sense; mobile phones were not cheap back in the 2000’s, nor were electronic PDA’s, making this a far more affordable way of using an electronic system.
It’s likely that you could buy the kit without the console too to make it even cheaper. The cart itself could be used with any Game Boy, giving an incentive to take a kids Game Boy to work for “business use”… and totally not playing Tetris at break time.
To update the carts with new software from Orbital, there was an ethernet adapter that allowed you to connect it to the internet too.
It’s an insight into how many Game Boys Nintendo sold during its time; these things were everywhere, and it made sense to take advantage of that in many industries around the world.
These types of kits are now deemed as collectibles, with many specific variations for a handful of different vehicles. For example, our good friend Elliot Coll has had his hands on Aprilia and Suzuki models which he shows off in a YouTube video.
The cartridges themselves are not going to make the best game boy games list, but that being said, it’s a neat and unique cartridge that is becoming rarer by the day.
(Sources: @x_ecutive on twitter and Motor1)
