Platforms, integrations, standards and the data layer.
7 stories
Every connected truck and machine produces a stream of telematics data: location, engine hours, fault codes, fuel and battery state. This section covers how that data is read, moved and used, from CAN bus, J1939, Modbus and ISOBUS at the machine to OEM data APIs and mixed-fleet standards such as AEMP and ISO 15143.
We follow the integrators and data platforms that unify feeds from different brands, the analytics that turn raw signals into maintenance and utilization decisions, and the questions of data ownership and access that come with them.
Bobcat's API gates fault codes and idle hours behind a premium subscription, while Hitachi offers 10- and 60-minute data instead of daily updates, partly as a paid option. Together they show why some fleets get better data from third-party telematics devices.
Continue reading: Bobcat and Hitachi show why OEM machine data isn't always enoughCaterpillar's Digital Marketplace now lists a NextGen ISO 15143-3 (AEMP 2.0) API that delivers time-series readings for individual machines. It adds history for location, hours, idle time, fuel and engine condition to the snapshot data Caterpillar already offered.
Inspiration Fleet has introduced Garage 2.0, an AI-based platform that pulls data from vehicle, telematics, fuel, energy and operational systems into one environment. The company says customers can choose and switch technology vendors without migrating the whole fleet management platform.
Samsara announced on Sept. 22 a Model Context Protocol (MCP) that lets authorized users query live Samsara account data from third-party AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude and Microsoft Copilot. It launches with more than 40 read-only tools and is free for now, with future pricing based on monthly usage.
T3's documentation of its AEMP integrations shows factory telematics feeds from Caterpillar, John Deere, Volvo and Vermeer refreshing every 15 minutes, most others hourly, and Komatsu KOMTRAX once a day. The gap shapes what mixed-fleet platforms can actually show.
John Deere has introduced JD, a conversational AI feature in its Operations Center platform that answers open-ended questions using a farm's own historical field, machine and operational data. The company says it will open early access this fall, keep the feature free, and expand access over the next year.
Samsara's 2026 State of Connected Operations Asset Theft & Loss Report estimates that equipment theft and loss costs mid-size organizations without asset tracking an average of $18 million a year. The Canadian findings point to long search times, project delays and low recovery rates, while insurers increasingly expect carriers to show active use of tracking data.
