diff --git a/selfdrive/car/car_specific.py b/selfdrive/car/car_specific.py
index a4500b6f1..98ae3e0b8 100644
--- a/selfdrive/car/car_specific.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/car_specific.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from cereal import car
+import cereal.messaging as messaging
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car import DT_CTRL
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.interfaces import MAX_CTRL_SPEED
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.volkswagen.values import CarControllerParams as VWCarControllerParams
@@ -12,6 +13,21 @@ EventName = car.CarEvent.EventName
 NetworkLocation = car.CarParams.NetworkLocation
 
 
+# TODO: the goal is to abstract this file into the CarState struct and make events generic
+class MockCarState:
+  def __init__(self):
+    self.sm = messaging.SubMaster(['gpsLocation', 'gpsLocationExternal'])
+
+  def update(self, CS: car.CarState):
+    self.sm.update(0)
+    gps_sock = 'gpsLocationExternal' if self.sm.recv_frame['gpsLocationExternal'] > 1 else 'gpsLocation'
+
+    CS.vEgo = self.sm[gps_sock].speed
+    CS.vEgoRaw = self.sm[gps_sock].speed
+
+    return CS
+
+
 class CarSpecificEvents:
   def __init__(self, CP: car.CarParams):
     self.CP = CP
diff --git a/selfdrive/car/card.py b/selfdrive/car/card.py
index 78b95163e..a7cd2f5a4 100755
--- a/selfdrive/car/card.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/card.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from openpilot.common.swaglog import cloudlog, ForwardingHandler
 from openpilot.selfdrive.pandad import can_capnp_to_list, can_list_to_can_capnp
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car import DT_CTRL, carlog
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.can_definitions import CanData, CanRecvCallable, CanSendCallable
-from openpilot.selfdrive.car.car_specific import CarSpecificEvents
+from openpilot.selfdrive.car.car_specific import CarSpecificEvents, MockCarState
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.fw_versions import ObdCallback
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.car_helpers import get_car
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.interfaces import CarInterfaceBase
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ class Car:
     self.events = Events()
 
     self.car_events = CarSpecificEvents(self.CP)
+    self.mock_carstate = MockCarState()
 
     # card is driven by can recv, expected at 100Hz
     self.rk = Ratekeeper(100, print_delay_threshold=None)
@@ -144,6 +145,9 @@ class Car:
     can_strs = messaging.drain_sock_raw(self.can_sock, wait_for_one=True)
     CS = self.CI.update(can_capnp_to_list(can_strs))
 
+    if self.CP.carName == 'mock':
+      CS = self.mock_carstate.update(CS)
+
     self.sm.update(0)
 
     can_rcv_valid = len(can_strs) > 0
diff --git a/selfdrive/car/mock/carstate.py b/selfdrive/car/mock/carstate.py
index 41a298e24..3937e8d75 100644
--- a/selfdrive/car/mock/carstate.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/mock/carstate.py
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@ from openpilot.selfdrive.car.interfaces import CarStateBase
 
 
 class CarState(CarStateBase):
-  def update(self, *args) -> car.CarState:
-    pass
+  def update(self, *_) -> car.CarState:
+    return car.CarState.new_message()
diff --git a/selfdrive/car/mock/interface.py b/selfdrive/car/mock/interface.py
index cfd11d1cf..44cd40d28 100755
--- a/selfdrive/car/mock/interface.py
+++ b/selfdrive/car/mock/interface.py
@@ -1,16 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-from cereal import car
-import cereal.messaging as messaging
 from openpilot.selfdrive.car.interfaces import CarInterfaceBase
 
 
 # mocked car interface for dashcam mode
 class CarInterface(CarInterfaceBase):
-  def __init__(self, CP, CarController, CarState):
-    super().__init__(CP, CarController, CarState)
-
-    self.speed = 0.
-    self.sm = messaging.SubMaster(['gpsLocation', 'gpsLocationExternal'])
 
   @staticmethod
   def _get_params(ret, candidate, fingerprint, car_fw, experimental_long, docs):
@@ -23,11 +16,4 @@ class CarInterface(CarInterfaceBase):
     return ret
 
   def _update(self):
-    self.sm.update(0)
-    gps_sock = 'gpsLocationExternal' if self.sm.recv_frame['gpsLocationExternal'] > 1 else 'gpsLocation'
-
-    ret = car.CarState.new_message()
-    ret.vEgo = self.sm[gps_sock].speed
-    ret.vEgoRaw = self.sm[gps_sock].speed
-
-    return ret
+    return self.CS.update()