CAN Bus
In Arabicشبكة CAN Bus
The in-vehicle network over which the electronic control units share engine and gauge data, which a tracker can read directly.
What is CAN Bus in fleet management?
CAN Bus is the network linking the engine control unit, transmission, instrument cluster and other modules, which exchange readings constantly. Wired to it, a tracker takes values as the vehicle's own computer records them: fuel used, odometer, engine RPM, engine temperature and engine hours, instead of estimating them.
On heavy trucks this data is usually read using the J1939 standard. In Safee, CAN Bus can be set as the source for fuel figures (the vehicle's Fuel Reading Source) and for distance in reports, and its readings can be browsed in the CANBUS Explorer.
How it works
- 1Tracker wired to vehicle network
- 2Reads engine and gauge values
- 3Values sent with every message
Why does CAN Bus matter in fleet management?
Distance calculated from GPS points and fuel estimated at a fixed rate are wrong by enough to spoil a monthly report. Reading the bus gives you fuel figures that reconcile with receipts, maintenance scheduled on real odometer and engine hours, and a warning when an engine runs hot before it fails on the road.
What you gain
- Fuel and distance from the ECU
- Real engine hours
- Early engine fault warnings
How does Safee help you use CAN Bus data?
Safee receives CAN Bus readings alongside the vehicle's position, so reports show fuel used, engine RPM, engine temperature and engine hours straight from the source. Set as the fuel and distance source, they put consumption and maintenance reports on the vehicle's own numbers rather than estimates.
A field example
An oil-field services company in Hafar Al Batin costed its trucks' fuel at a fixed rate per 100 km, so diesel burned while engines ran at well sites never showed up. Once trackers were wired to the CAN Bus, engine hours turned out 35% higher than driving hours. The company made drivers switch off while waiting on site, and the monthly diesel bill fell by about 9%.
Frequently asked questions
Do all vehicles support CAN Bus?
Most modern trucks and cars use it, but the values available vary by make and model, so confirm them at installation.
How is CAN Bus distance different from GPS distance?
CAN Bus distance comes from the vehicle's own odometer; GPS distance is calculated from reported points and suffers from long reporting intervals and signal loss, so it is less precise.
Want to put this to work in your fleet?
Talk to a Safee fleet expert about your vehicles and how you operate, and we will suggest what fits.
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