diff --git a/tools/cabana/.gitignore b/tools/cabana/.gitignore
index 88ffab2717..d7a552eabb 100644
--- a/tools/cabana/.gitignore
+++ b/tools/cabana/.gitignore
@@ -3,3 +3,5 @@ moc_*
 
 _cabana
 settings
+car_fingerprint_to_dbc.json
+
diff --git a/tools/cabana/SConscript b/tools/cabana/SConscript
index fd44ecd138..d791466ce7 100644
--- a/tools/cabana/SConscript
+++ b/tools/cabana/SConscript
@@ -12,5 +12,6 @@ else:
 
 qt_libs = ['qt_util', 'Qt5Charts'] + base_libs
 cabana_libs = [widgets, cereal, messaging, visionipc, replay_lib, opendbc,'avutil', 'avcodec', 'avformat', 'bz2', 'curl', 'yuv'] + qt_libs
+qt_env.Execute('./generate_dbc_json.py --out car_fingerprint_to_dbc.json')
 qt_env.Program('_cabana', ['cabana.cc', 'mainwin.cc', 'binaryview.cc', 'chartswidget.cc', 'historylog.cc', 'videowidget.cc', 'signaledit.cc', 'dbcmanager.cc',
                             'canmessages.cc', 'messageswidget.cc', 'detailwidget.cc'], LIBS=cabana_libs, FRAMEWORKS=base_frameworks)
diff --git a/tools/cabana/generate_dbc_json.py b/tools/cabana/generate_dbc_json.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..cb122e2eb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/cabana/generate_dbc_json.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import argparse
+import json
+
+from selfdrive.car.car_helpers import get_interface_attr
+
+
+def generate_dbc_json() -> str:
+  all_cars_by_brand = get_interface_attr("CAR_INFO")
+  all_dbcs_by_brand = get_interface_attr("DBC")
+  dbc_map = {car: all_dbcs_by_brand[brand][car]['pt'] for brand, cars in all_cars_by_brand.items() for car in cars if car != 'mock'}
+  return json.dumps(dict(sorted(dbc_map.items())), indent=2)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+  parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Generate mapping for all car fingerprints to DBC names and outputs json file",
+                                   formatter_class=argparse.ArgumentDefaultsHelpFormatter)
+
+  parser.add_argument("--out", required=True, help="Generated json filepath")
+  args = parser.parse_args()
+
+  with open(args.out, 'w') as f:
+    f.write(generate_dbc_json())
+  print(f"Generated and written to {args.out}")
diff --git a/tools/cabana/messageswidget.cc b/tools/cabana/messageswidget.cc
index f39ce97684..dfe665d750 100644
--- a/tools/cabana/messageswidget.cc
+++ b/tools/cabana/messageswidget.cc
@@ -68,9 +68,10 @@ MessagesWidget::MessagesWidget(QWidget *parent) : QWidget(parent) {
 
   // signals/slots
   QObject::connect(filter, &QLineEdit::textChanged, proxy_model, &QSortFilterProxyModel::setFilterFixedString);
+  QObject::connect(can, &CANMessages::eventsMerged, this, &MessagesWidget::loadDBCFromFingerprint);
   QObject::connect(can, &CANMessages::updated, model, &MessageListModel::updateState);
-  QObject::connect(dbc_combo, SIGNAL(activated(const QString &)), SLOT(dbcSelectionChanged(const QString &)));
-  QObject::connect(load_from_paste, &QPushButton::clicked, this, &MessagesWidget::loadFromPaste);
+  QObject::connect(dbc_combo, SIGNAL(activated(const QString &)), SLOT(loadDBCFromName(const QString &)));
+  QObject::connect(load_from_paste, &QPushButton::clicked, this, &MessagesWidget::loadDBCFromPaste);
   QObject::connect(save_btn, &QPushButton::clicked, [=]() {
     // TODO: save DBC to file
   });
@@ -80,17 +81,20 @@ MessagesWidget::MessagesWidget(QWidget *parent) : QWidget(parent) {
     }
   });
 
-  // For test purpose
-  dbc_combo->setCurrentText("toyota_nodsu_pt_generated");
+  QFile json_file("./car_fingerprint_to_dbc.json");
+  if(json_file.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly)) {
+    fingerprint_to_dbc = QJsonDocument::fromJson(json_file.readAll());
+  }
 }
 
-void MessagesWidget::dbcSelectionChanged(const QString &dbc_file) {
-  dbc()->open(dbc_file);
-  // TODO: reset model?
-  table_widget->sortByColumn(0, Qt::AscendingOrder);
+void MessagesWidget::loadDBCFromName(const QString &name) {
+  dbc()->open(name);
+  dbc_combo->setCurrentText(name);
+  // refresh model
+  model->updateState();
 }
 
-void MessagesWidget::loadFromPaste() {
+void MessagesWidget::loadDBCFromPaste() {
   LoadDBCDialog dlg(this);
   if (dlg.exec()) {
     dbc()->open("from paste", dlg.dbc_edit->toPlainText());
@@ -98,6 +102,16 @@ void MessagesWidget::loadFromPaste() {
   }
 }
 
+void MessagesWidget::loadDBCFromFingerprint() {
+  auto fingerprint = can->carFingerprint();
+  if (!fingerprint.isEmpty() && dbc()->name().isEmpty())  {
+    auto dbc_name = fingerprint_to_dbc[fingerprint];
+    if (dbc_name !=  QJsonValue::Undefined) {
+      loadDBCFromName(dbc_name.toString());
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 // MessageListModel
 
 QVariant MessageListModel::headerData(int section, Qt::Orientation orientation, int role) const {
diff --git a/tools/cabana/messageswidget.h b/tools/cabana/messageswidget.h
index 1184772f3b..bef15c2cf7 100644
--- a/tools/cabana/messageswidget.h
+++ b/tools/cabana/messageswidget.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include <QAbstractTableModel>
 #include <QComboBox>
 #include <QDialog>
+#include <QJsonDocument>
 #include <QTableView>
 #include <QTextEdit>
 
@@ -38,8 +39,9 @@ public:
   MessagesWidget(QWidget *parent);
 
 public slots:
-  void dbcSelectionChanged(const QString &dbc_file);
-  void loadFromPaste();
+  void loadDBCFromName(const QString &name);
+  void loadDBCFromFingerprint();
+  void loadDBCFromPaste();
 
 signals:
   void msgSelectionChanged(const QString &message_id);
@@ -48,4 +50,5 @@ protected:
   QTableView *table_widget;
   QComboBox *dbc_combo;
   MessageListModel *model;
+  QJsonDocument fingerprint_to_dbc;
 };