OBD/CAN Devices

Integrating vehicle diagnostic and telematics devices.

Overview

OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) and CAN (Controller Area Network) devices connect to vehicle systems to read engine data, fault codes, and operational metrics.

Typical Data

OBD-II PIDs

• Engine RPM
• Vehicle speed
• Coolant temperature
• Fuel level
• Engine load

Diagnostic Trouble Codes

• Active fault codes
• Pending codes
• Freeze frame data

Extended CAN Data

• Transmission data
• ABS information
• Body controller data

Integration Approaches

Dedicated Telematics Device

Combined GPS + OBD in single unit.

OBD Dongle

Bluetooth or cellular connected OBD reader.

Fleet Management System

Integration via existing FMS platform.

Data Considerations

• Not all vehicles support all PIDs
• Data availability varies by make/model/year
• Some data requires extended CAN access
• Fault codes need interpretation

Driver Requirements

OBD/CAN drivers must handle:

• PID request and response parsing
• DTC decoding
• Unit conversion
• Vehicle-specific variations