Site Information

 Loading... Please wait...

Blog

Telematics Gateway Choosing Criteria and Use Cases

Posted by Industry News on

An article in the CiA (CAN in Automation) CAN Newsletter explains the functionality, discusses the selection criteria, and describes the use cases of a telematics gateway using an example telematics device.

As cars become more connected, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) require telematics solutions that enable smooth communication within and outside the vehicle. The device should be cloud-enabled, connect to servers for real-time computation and analysis, and provide an intuitive user interface for interacting and controlling various operations.

When selecting a telematics gateway, it is important to consider various factors such as the type and nature of clients, geographical conditions, average distance to cover, and the type of vehicles. The following aspects should be considered:

  • Connectivity options: The transformation of connected mobility data relies heavily on dependable connectivity solutions. The telematics gateway needs to be capable of adjusting communication standards to match the required connectivity infrastructure for a vehicle. Depending on the specific application, a telematics gateway must support various wireless communication infrastructures, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LTE, DSRC (dedicated short-range communication), and more.
  • Type of data to be collected: The growing variety of vehicle manufacturers, models, and features requires a telematics gateway with a modular architecture that can support multiple interfaces to the in-vehicle networks, such as CAN (using CANopen or higher-layer protocols), Ethernet, and others. This might include EIA-232, EIA-485, and more.
  • Software flexibility: A scalable software is essential for tracking diverse assets and vehicles simultaneously. The software stacks supported on the gateway should ensure interoperability among different vehicles and mobility infrastructures and reduce the development time of customized applications.

For example, a telematics gateway can be deployed in the following use cases:

  • Predictive maintenance in electric vehicles is a key area where a telematics gateway can significantly contribute. The gateway plays a vital role in ensuring the vehicle's safety and efficiency by providing drivers with crucial information about their battery health, charge level, and the nearest charging station. Its various onboard features and interfaces provide the necessary data to improve the vehicle algorithm, enhancing its performance and safety.
  • Farm equipment manufacturers are working to enhance farmer operations by securely sharing information about their daily activities. Telematics gateways installed in tractors, vehicles, and other farm equipment allow for tracking vehicle movement, location, driver status, fuel usage, and more.
  • Fleet management is another area where a telematics gateway can benefit significantly. Failures in fleet management, such as vehicle recalls resulting in service interruption, can be very costly. However, a telematics device with built-in interfaces such as CAN, EIA-232, and EIA-485 can help to prevent such failures. By collecting and securely sharing fleet information with owners, the gateway enhances fleet productivity and reduces costly failures, thereby providing a significant return on investment.
  • Heavy-duty and off-road vehicles, such as forklifts, cranes, and trucks, are often used in extreme conditions for long hours, making them vulnerable to frequent breakdowns. Through the integrated J1939 interface, the telematics gateway can retrieve diagnostic information and real-time data from the in-vehicle ECUs. This capability ensures vehicle uptime and enables predictive maintenance.

Read the full article (PDF)...


SAE J1939 Starter Kit And Network Simulator

SAE J1939 Starter Kit and Network Simulator

Our JCOM.J1939 Starter Kit and Network Simulator are designed to allow experienced engineers and beginners to experiment with SAE J1939 data communication without needing to connect to a real-world J1939 network, i.e., a diesel engine. 

To establish a network, you need at least two nodes. This applies especially to CAN/J1939, where the CAN controller will shut down after transmitting data without receiving a response. Therefore, our jCOM.J1939 Starter Kit and Network Simulator consist of two J1939 nodes: our jCOM.J1939.USB, an SAE J1939 ECU Simulator Board with USB Port.  More Information...

CANfetti: Open-Source CANopen Protocol Stack for Embedded Systems

Scythe Robotics, a developer of advanced, commercial-grade solutions for the professional landscaping industry, announced its first open-source release of CANfetti, a CANopen-compliant stack, developed to overcome the limitations of existing libraries. Developed and improved over the past few years by Scythe's firmware and software teams, CANfetti reduces the barriers to entry with an open-source, user-friendly, and [...]

Read More »


Dual-Channel Linear Actuator Control Module with ESP32

As part of a customer project, I, with the help of a capable hardware designer, developed an embedded system to control two linear actuators, specifically the Thomson Electrac HD model with SAE J1939 interface.  The Electrac series of actuators supports two higher-layer protocols (HLP) based on Controller Area Network (CAN): CANopen, and SAE J1939. CANopen is [...]

Read More »


Industrial Strength Dual CAN FD Interface in Mini PCIe Form

The  VL-MPEu-C1 module by Versalogic, compliant with the Mini PCIe format, is a tiny and rugged dual-channel CAN Bus add-on interface. It supports CAN-FD for high-speed data transfer but is still fully compatible with CAN 2.0 A and CAN 2.0 B (Classical CAN). It supports additional CAN functions, including message acceptance filtering, listen-only mode, and wake-up [...]

Read More »


Micro CANopen Libraries for Embedded CANopen and CANopen FD

Embedded Systems Academy (EmSA) announced the release of its Micro CANopen libraries as Open-CMSIS-Pack compliant with the Common Microcontroller Software Interface Standard (CMSIS) by ARM. The release simplifies CANopen implementation in embedded systems. Previously, the Micro CANopen libraries were part of selected NXP MCUXpresso software development kits (SDKs). Along with NXP's recent support release for MS [...]

Read More »


Compact and Robust Joystick Supports SAE J1939, CANopen Interfaces

Genge & Thoma AG introduced its series of joysticks for industrial and mobile applications with CANopen and SAE J1939 connectivity. The products address applications, including off-road vehicles and vehicle body applications. The SK 60 joystick is a versatile product with several options with various haptic characteristics. The product is available in numerous configurations, with up to three [...]

Read More »


Any CAN Bus, SAE J1939, NMEA 2000 Development Requires the Right Testing Tools

I want to reiterate a point made in a previous post ("A Beginner's Guide to SAE J1939 Embedded Software Development"): When developing and testing your CAN Bus application, may it be Classical CAN, CAN FD, CANopen, SAE J1939, or NMEA 2000, you need to connect your device to a functional network. One solitary node connected to your [...]

Read More »


Agricultural Control Unit Supports Isobus, SAE J1939, and CANopen Connectivity

The EC44 Agri control unit by Epec (Finnland) supports Isobus communication for agriculture applications. In addition, the device can upgrade existing systems to Isobus connectivity when used as a gateway. The Isobus-compliant device allows plug-and-play compatibility between tractors and other agricultural equipment (e.g., seeders or fertilizers) from different manufacturers and brands. Legacy implementations operated via customized human-machine interfaces (HMI), i.e., [...]

Read More »


CAN Bus Analysis Software Supports SAE J1939 and CANopen Data Monitoring and Recording

The CANexplorer 4 by Sontheim is a modular, efficient, and intuitive field-bus analyzing software. It represents years of experience working with complex machine and vehicle CAN Bus networks. The modular structure delivers all critical features for analyzing and logging CAN Bus network traffic, like classic text-based traces, graphs, bar graphs, LEDs, filters, and triggers. Furthermore, the software [...]

Read More »


Position, Speed, Inclination Encoders With SAE J1939 And CANopen Interface

Siko (Germany) introduced their wire-actuated Pure.Mobile encoder family that measures position, speed, and inclination using an integrated single-axis inclination sensor. The encoders' sensor data utilizes serial protocols, including CANopen, CANopen safety, and SAE J1939. Mobile machines must always function precisely and efficiently, whether lifting platforms, mobile cranes or self-concrete pumps. Sensors are suitable for detecting the machines' movements, [...]

Read More »