Vehicle diagnostic tool with autonomous power on functionality

An automotive diagnostic tool adapted to retrieve vehicle data from a vehicle and facilitate powering-on of the tool, the automotive diagnostic tool comprising:

• a hand-holdable housing;
• a data link connector coupled to the housing and configured to be plug-connectable with a diagnostic port on the vehicle;
• a chip set within the housing, the chip set being configured to implement a diagnostic functionality of the automotive diagnostic tool;
• a battery configured to supply power to the chip set in response to actuation of a POWER BUTTON coupled to the housing;
• and
• a power control circuit configured to:
• receive a signal from the vehicle via the data link connector upon connection of the data link connector to a diagnostic port on the vehicle;
• determine a power supply status for a chip set on the automotive diagnostic tool as being either a POWERED status, wherein the chip set is powered by the battery on the automotive diagnostic tool, or an OFF status, wherein the chip set is not receiving power from the battery on the automotive diagnostic tool;
• and
• when the power supply status is the OFF status, using the signal from the vehicle to facilitate transition the power supply status of the chip set from the OFF status to the POWERED status.