diff --git a/selfdrive/car/car_helpers.py b/selfdrive/car/car_helpers.py
index f2e1b37e38..4b6e8c828e 100644
--- a/selfdrive/car/car_helpers.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/car_helpers.py
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ def get_car(logcan, sendcan):
     cloudlog.warning("car doesn't match any fingerprints: %r", fingerprints)
     candidate = "mock"
 
+  if Params().get("CarModel", encoding="utf8") is not None:
+    car_name = Params().get("CarModel", encoding="utf8")
+    car_name = car_name.rstrip('\n')
+    candidate = car_name
+
   CarInterface, CarController, CarState = interfaces[candidate]
   car_params = CarInterface.get_params(candidate, fingerprints, car_fw)
   car_params.carVin = vin
@@ -187,4 +192,4 @@ def get_car(logcan, sendcan):
   car_params.fingerprintSource = source
   car_params.fuzzyFingerprint = not exact_match
 
-  return CarInterface(car_params, CarController, CarState), car_params
+  return CarInterface(car_params, CarController, CarState), car_params, candidate
diff --git a/selfdrive/common/params.cc b/selfdrive/common/params.cc
index 99b0299b62..82f01d94d0 100644
--- a/selfdrive/common/params.cc
+++ b/selfdrive/common/params.cc
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ std::unordered_map<std::string, uint32_t> keys = {
     {"Offroad_TemperatureTooHigh", CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START},
     {"Offroad_UnofficialHardware", CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START},
     {"Offroad_UpdateFailed", CLEAR_ON_MANAGER_START},
+    {"CarModel", PERSISTENT},
 };
 
 } // namespace
diff --git a/selfdrive/controls/controlsd.py b/selfdrive/controls/controlsd.py
index 099ffea7c0..c2651127cf 100755
--- a/selfdrive/controls/controlsd.py
+++ b/selfdrive/controls/controlsd.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class Controls:
     print("Waiting for CAN messages...")
     get_one_can(self.can_sock)
 
-    self.CI, self.CP = get_car(self.can_sock, self.pm.sock['sendcan'])
+    self.CI, self.CP, candidate = get_car(self.can_sock, self.pm.sock['sendcan'])
 
     # read params
     self.is_metric = params.get_bool("IsMetric")
diff --git a/selfdrive/manager/manager.py b/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
index 49c223a9e6..5422a4bd88 100755
--- a/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
+++ b/selfdrive/manager/manager.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ def manager_init():
     ("CompletedTrainingVersion", "0"),
     ("HasAcceptedTerms", "0"),
     ("OpenpilotEnabledToggle", "1"),
+    ("CarModel", "HYUNDAI IONIQ PHEV 2020"),
   ]
   if not PC:
     default_params.append(("LastUpdateTime", datetime.datetime.utcnow().isoformat().encode('utf8')))