SkadiAuto: Building IT Infrastructure from Scratch

The Challenge

SkadiAuto needed to establish a complete IT department and infrastructure from scratch to develop professional Tesla diagnostics software. The project required building a team capable of reverse-engineering proprietary protocols, developing complex software tools, and creating a professional brand identity for the automotive diagnostics market.

My Role

My Role: Hands-on development, team building and hiring, architecture design, technical leadership, strategic planning.

The Solution

We led the complete IT transformation:

  • Team Building: Recruited and hired 10 engineers with expertise in embedded systems, reverse engineering, and software development
  • Infrastructure Setup: Built entire IT infrastructure including development environments, CI/CD pipelines, and secure systems
  • Protocol Reverse Engineering: Led the team in decoding binary protocols for Tesla vehicle communication
  • Brand Development: Created comprehensive branding strategy and visual identity for the product
SkadiAuto Tesla Diagnostics Platform

Key Achievements

Team Development

  • Recruited 10 specialized engineers including:
    • Embedded systems developers
    • Reverse engineering specialists
    • Frontend and backend developers
    • DevOps engineers
  • Established engineering culture and development processes
  • Implemented agile methodologies and code review practices

Technical Infrastructure

  • Development Environment: Set up complete development infrastructure with version control, issue tracking, and collaboration tools
  • Security: Implemented secure development practices for handling sensitive automotive data
  • Testing: Established comprehensive testing frameworks for hardware-software integration
  • Deployment: Created automated deployment pipelines for software distribution

Protocol Engineering

  • Successfully reverse-engineered Tesla’s binary communication protocols
  • Developed proprietary protocol decoders and encoders
  • Created comprehensive documentation for internal protocol specifications
  • Built abstraction layers for safe vehicle communication

Product Development

  • Developed professional Tesla diagnostics software capable of:
    • Reading and clearing diagnostic trouble codes
    • Firmware updates and reflashing
    • Advanced diagnostics and service functions
    • Configuration changes via LAN
  • Created tiered subscription model (Standard, Plus, Performance)
  • Implemented secure licensing and distribution system

Results

  • Built complete IT department from zero to 10 engineers in 8 months
  • Successfully decoded and implemented Tesla diagnostic protocols
  • Launched commercial product with three subscription tiers
  • Established company as a key player in Tesla aftermarket diagnostics
  • Created sustainable technical infrastructure supporting continuous development

Technologies Implemented

  • Languages: C++, Python, TypeScript, Go
  • Embedded: ARM development, CAN bus protocols, binary protocol analysis
  • Infrastructure: Docker, Kubernetes, GitLab CI/CD
  • Security: End-to-end encryption, secure boot, license management
  • Frontend: React with TypeScript for diagnostic interface
  • Backend: Go microservices for licensing and updates