Modern trucks are rolling data centres. The digitalization of road transport has transformed how fleets are managed, how vehicles are maintained, and how transport operations are optimized. Telematics — the combination of telecommunications and informatics — is now a core competency for any professional fleet operator.
Each truck generates a continuous stream of data through multiple onboard systems:
CAN bus (Controller Area Network) — the internal communication network linking all electronic control units (ECUs) in the vehicle. Engine, transmission, braking, ADAS, and body systems all communicate via CAN. It is the primary source of vehicle data.
OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) — a standardized port (OBD-II) giving external access to vehicle data and fault codes. Used by workshops for diagnostics and by telematics devices for data extraction.
FMS (Fleet Management System interface) — a standardized data interface developed by European truck manufacturers that exposes a defined set of operational parameters (fuel consumption, speed, engine hours, etc.) in a common format, enabling fleet management systems to work across vehicle brands.
A telematics device (sometimes called a black box or TCU — Telematics Control Unit) is installed in the vehicle to collect, process, and transmit data to a backend platform.
Key capabilities of modern fleet management platforms: