OEM Fleet Management & Telematics Integrations

Vehicle telematics has solidly moved from being a “nice to have” to a “must-have” for fleet management, but if you own or manage a fleet, you may not be aware of the finer points of how original equipment manufacturers (OEM) telematics, also called embedded telematics, and aftermarket telematics compare.

OEM telematics services include factory-installed hardware like OEM dashboards and a cloud-based SaaS platform for managing the data. OEM-embedded telematics is great for any fleet to have. However, it can get more complicated to integrate mixed fleets. Fleet managers need an easy-to-use platform to analyze all their fleet performance data in one safe place. If the platform can’t integrate all your vehicles and equipment, you lose insights and waste time switching between platforms. Aftermarket telematics hardware can still have value for fleets where some or all of their vehicles or equipment don’t yet have it installed, and aftermarket fleet management software can work with embedded telematics hardware. Coming up with the right telematics solution for your business requires understanding what OEM and aftermarket telematics can offer. Let the OEM telematics experts at MiX by Powerfleet unpack what OEM telematics systems can do for your business.

What Is OEM Telematics? How Does It Compare to Aftermarket Telematics?

Original equipment manufacturers see the value in telematics tools and embed them in their vehicles in the factory. OEM telematics refers to vehicles that come equipped with embedded telematics components. It includes the hardware that the OEM embeds in the vehicle and the cloud program that collects and manages the data that the hardware reports.

For OEM, these embedded telematics tools are increasingly the norm. Eventually, all manufactured vehicles will feature this innovative technology. Manufacturers install these tools to meet the needs of their customers, many of whom are businesses with fleets. OEM telematics differs from aftermarket telematics.

Aftermarket telematics refers to the hardware and software telematics tools installed after the vehicle is purchased. This equipment is designed to work in vehicles regardless of the manufacturer, vehicle type, fleet size, make, and model.

Fleet managers who buy new vehicles with OEM telematics may still need aftermarket telematics. Many fleets are comprised of a mix of vehicles, some with OEM telematics and some without. Aftermarket telematics allows fleet managers to get the data on these mixed fleets, connecting every vehicle in their entire fleet and providing a comprehensive and accurate view of fleet performance. It makes it possible to gather data from vehicles and mobile equipment across manufacturers all in one place.

OEM Telematics vs. Aftermarket Telematics

Benefits of OEM Telematics

1. You don’t have to pay for device installation costs. There’s also no lost downtime for the installation process.
2. OEM-embedded telematics access all the OEM proprietary data. That makes it easy to keep vehicles and equipment calibrated to perform optimally, leading to improved efficiency and vehicle performance. It’s easy to follow recommended maintenance schedules.
3. You can activate the SaaS software immediately for an instant fleet management solution. There’s no need to spend time evaluating aftermarket telematics solutions.
4. You reduce driver tampering. False reporting is less likely with embedded telematics.

Benefits of Aftermarket Telematics

1. You can manage a fleet of vehicles without embedded telematics devices. Many fleets contain a mixture of vehicle types, manufacturers, and capabilities. Some may have some older vehicles that didn’t come with embedded telematics. Sometimes the software that comes with the OEM-embedded telematics only lets you manage vehicles from that OEM, which isn’t a feasible solution for most fleets.
2. It may be able to collect more data than the OEM telematics hardware. Sometimes embedded telematics isn’t as advanced as aftermarket products. This isn’t always true, however. Some embedded telematics are just as sophisticated as these tools.
3. You can select the best tool for your business’s needs. Your business probably has unique needs, and choosing an aftermarket product can ensure that you get the one that works best for you.

How MiX by Powerfleet Integrates OEM Telematics

MiX by Powerfleet has offers OEM integrated telematics solutions for a variety of fleets. OEM Connect is a cloud-to-cloud system that works with all manufacturers and vehicle types. It can work with fleets across industries, including construction vehicles, assets, trailers, construction vehicles, and light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles. We work with OEM partners to ensure that your fleet is fully integrated into a unified platform. That way, it’s a seamless experience to view the data for every vehicle in your fleet. Bjorn Svinterud, Head of OEM Strategy at MiX and an industry expert, says, “Our strategy is to leverage OEM’s connected vehicle and connected ecosystem to more efficiently provide our fleet customers with our core services.”

Integration Features

OEM Connect offers integration features that simplify fleet management. The data for all your vehicles and equipment are gathered in one user-friendly platform. Because we leverage the data from the OEM software with our real-time API data share, our platform benefits from all the vehicle’s telematics data. It’s a truly seamless experience to track and analyze your vehicles and equipment data. We work with mixed fleets for industry-leading OEMs all over the world.

Benefits

OEM Connect benefits the fleet managers who use our product and the OEM partners who install our embedded telematics in their vehicles. Look at just some of the benefits of our vehicle telemetry and software.

For Fleet Managers:

• OEM Warranty – OEM-embedded telematics tools fall under the vehicle’s warranty. These warranties are often more generous than those that come with aftermarket telematics products.
• Higher Trade-In Value – With all your maintenance records and vehicle information in one place, you can benefit from higher trade-in values.
• No Vehicle Downtime – Telematics hardware installation after the vehicle is sold requires downtime. Embedded telematics means no vehicle downtime or time spent selecting the best product.
• MiX’s SaaS Platform – MiX Fleet Manager provides an all-in-one platform for analyzing all the data on all your assets. It makes it easy to get insights into your fleet’s performance.
• Personalized Support – We want to help you use our product to achieve your goals for your fleet. Our friendly representatives are prepared to coach you on making the numbers move.
• Mixed Fleets – We work with mixed fleets worldwide for industry-leading OEMs.

For OEM Partners:

• Create a Premium Customer Experience – Customers increasingly expect embedded telematics in their vehicles. Partnering with us can help you better meet customers’ unique needs and save them the trouble and expense of a lengthy procurement process for aftermarket telematics.
• Partner with a Leader in the Fleet Management and Telematics Industry – MiX by Powerfleet is making the roads safer for drivers all over the globe. Fleets have trusted us to make their operations more sustainable and efficient for more than 25 years.
• Join Our OEM Partners – You join a group of OEMs that are leaders in their industries and have trusted MiX to provide them with best-in-class embedded telematics.
• Benefit from Our Experience Across Industries – At MiX by Powerfleet, we work with fleets in various industries. We know your customer’s pain points and how telematics can help them improve their operations.

Compatibility with Leading OEMs

We’re proud that many industry-leading manufacturers chose us as a trusted OEM partner. Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Hino, Isuzu, Scania, and Navistar are some manufacturers that work with MiX by Powerfleet. Speaking of Ford’s decisions to choose MiX by Powerfleet, Brent West, General Manager of Ford Pro Intelligence, put it this way: “We have seen a lot of interest among our commercial clients for better telematics and data solutions. In an effort to make this a reality, through Ford Data Services TM, we have been working with category leaders, like MiX by Powerfleet, to provide a high quality data feed using our vehicles’ embedded modems.”

Many OEMs are looking to partner with a leading telematics and fleet management provider like MiX by Powerfleet.

Choose MiX by Powerfleet for Your Aftermarket and OEM Telematics Needs

Whether you need an OEM telematics solution or are searching for the perfect aftermarket telematics tools like our GPS fleet tracking systems, MiX by Powerfleet has a full range of telematics solutions to supercharge your fleet’s performance. Contact us to start making data-driven decisions for your fleet today.