FUEL CONTROL: WHAT SOLUTION TO CHOOSE?

Fuel control is a constant hot topic in telematics: if your vehicle runs on fuel, you want to measure its level and cut consumption as much as possible. However, no two telematics projects are exactly the same, and there is no one solution to fit them all. That’s why the industry offers different ways to measure fuel level and calculate its consumption per vehicle – from dedicated sensors to reading vehicle data. The question is, which one to choose for your fleet?

READING VEHICLE DATA: EASY MODE

Fuel level information is the type of data that is already being measured by the vehicle itself with native sensors to display it on vehicle dashboard and keep the driver informed when the tank should be refuelled. This data can be accessed by telematics devices and successfully used in fleet management. The easiest way to do it is with an OBD device – a tracker that can be plugged into the OBD-II (on-board diagnostics) port used at service stations for vehicle maintenance.

BENEFITS

Plug & Play installation – OBD devices can be easily mounted in a vehicle even by someone who is not a professional installer. It does not require wired connection and there is no need for additional cables or adapters as OBD-II ports exist in all modern light vehicles. In case you still worry about the device installation, you can check the technical training on Teltonika YouTube channel.

Competitive cost of the implementation – OBD devices take fuel level data directly from a vehicle and do not require investment in additional sensors. It allows cutting the implementation costs and still receiving the insights needed for fleet management.

Supported vehicle list – in case of Teltonika, choosing OBD devices also means knowing in advance the supported vehicles and parameters. Our database currently includes more than 1,600 vehicle models, available at Teltonika Wiki documentation. This approach helps avoid compatibility issues and choose the solution that matches your fleet’s vehicles.

Warranty-friendly – As the vehicle wiring stays intact, the installation of an OBD device will not compromise vehicle warranty. In fact, it can open the possibilities for usage-based insurance and secured leasing. In addition to fuel level, OBD devices can provide data about driver performance, assuring lenders and insurance companies that their vehicles are in good hands. Teltonika’s project in North America serves as a good example.

DRAWBACKS

Tailored for light vehicles – OBD-II port is a feature of light vehicles, thus, this solution as is will not fit any other type of fleet. There are additional cables that can be used to implement OBD trackers in trucks, while special machinery or two-wheelers would require a different solution altogether.

Easy to find and remove – Easy device installation also means its easy removal. OBD-II port is in a vehicle cabin – one of the first places where a vehicle thief will check for a tracker. That’s why using a single OBD device without a hidden backup tracker might be risky where crime rates are high. What is more, a shady driver who intends to use a company car for personal needs might remove the OBD tracker before the ride.

To sum up, OBD trackers are a perfect solution for monitoring light vehicles in a secure environment. Such cases include corporate car sharing and creating a digital logbook, allowing trusted employees to track their business and personal rides and get their fuel expenses compensated by the employer. What is more, OBD devices are a good choice for personal vehicle tracking, especially with “pay as you drive” billing, when the telematics solution is ordered online and easily plugged in by a driver without a professional installer’s help.

READING VEHICLE DATA: ADVANCED MODE

In case OBD parameters are not enough for your fleet management goals, you can make a step further and access the vehicle’s CAN bus. CAN (or controller area network) is a standard used in vehicles to communicate between electronic control units like engine control unit, airbags, audio system, etc. It is applied in different types of transport and, besides reading fuel data, allows companies to implement more advanced fleet management scenarios – even control vehicles remotely. Depending on the monitored transport and the use case, you may choose either CAN DATA or PROFESSIONAL category trackers.

BENEFITS

Extensive data reading – CAN connection provides access to multiple vehicle parameters. Depending on the vehicle model, it can be engine speed, seatbelt, trunk and door status, cruise control usage, VIN, and many more. All these parameters can be read without investing in various sensors – thanks to a single tracker with CAN reading support.

Suitable for various vehicle types – CAN is a widely used standard, making CAN reading a universally applicable way to access fuel data. From light vehicles and two-wheelers to vans and special machinery, CAN solution could be a good choice in case it supports the models and parameters you need. Teltonika CAN DATA product category has a publicly available supported vehicle list that features more than 2,200 models. As for PROFESSIONAL category devices, flexibility is even greater thanks to Manual CAN functionality that allows you to create your own list of parameters to read. It is worth mentioning that Manual CAN requires knowledge of the vehicle’s communication protocol that might not always be available.

Enhanced safety – unlike OBD devices, the trackers that are connected to CAN are hidden inside the vehicle and are not as easy to spot. It makes them a good choice for the cases where a driver could be a potential culprit eager to hide vehicle’s location. What is more, these devices can be used to implement immobilisation scenario when the vehicle engine cannot be started without driver authentication via an RFID key or a Bluetooth® beacon.

Remote control – some CAN solutions, such as Teltonika’s CAN-CONTROL adapter, allow users not only to read vehicle data but also control the vehicle remotely, for example, control the central lock or immobilise the vehicle. This functionality helps fleet managers to grant or revoke vehicle access remotely – an invaluable feature for car-sharing scenarios.

DRAWBACKS

Professional installation required – Unlike OBD devices, CAN reading solutions usually require professional installation. The only exception is modern heavy vehicles with an available FMS plug. In this case, installation of FMC650 devices becomes truly plug and play. Otherwise, you would need to know which exactly wires to connect to. What is more, installation may differ not only by vehicle type but also by model within the same vehicle brand. As it is impossible to know every vehicle model by heart, Teltonika’s team has created a database of connection schemes, which is available to business partners upon request. Also, we have filmed the installation process for Iveco Daily, one of the most popular models among Teltonika CAN solution users, demonstrating the required tools, wiring, and basic configuration.

Not always warranty-friendly – Many CAN reading solutions require wired installation, meaning that you would need to cut the vehicle’s wires to access data, and it may impact vehicle warranty. In Teltonika’s case, to stay warranty-compliant, CAN solution would need an additional accessory, ECAN02. It scans CAN data while keeping wires intact. However, ECAN02 is not an option if you need to manage the vehicle lock with CAN-CONTROL. In this case, wired installation is unavoidable.

To sum up, CAN data reading solutions help to implement advanced fleet management on top of fuel level reading and address different factors that impact fuel consumption, like engine performance and timely vehicle maintenance. Also,= it is invaluable for such use cases like car rental when the vehicle is regularly used by different drivers that book and unlock it online. Even more, it is a good choice if you need to control fuel consumption of a special machinery or heavy vehicles that do not have an OBD-II port.

FUEL SENSORS: EXPERT MODE

Tapping into a vehicle’s fuel data is practical but not always the best choice for every fleet. External accessories, such as fuel level sensors or flow meters, can also be installed in vehicles or machinery and connected to a tracking device. Aftermarket telematics provides an extensive choice of fuel sensors tailored to different use cases. These sensors can be connected to a tracking device through wireless Bluetooth® connection or using wires, for example, via an RS232 serial port. Depending on the sensors, different compatible trackers can be chosen. In Teltonika’s case, ADVANCED and PROFESSIONAL category trackers offer the broadest accessory support.

BENEFITS

High precision – Professional aftermarket fuel level sensors allow reaching a higher data precision than native sensors installed in vehicles. Designed to detect even slight changes, high-end fuel level sensors can have up to 1-2% accuracy margin. This level of precision makes them a perfect choice for fuel theft prevention, especially when theft happens over an extended period. A native vehicle sensor will detect when the fuel tank is emptied in one go. However, it will struggle with detecting smaller amounts of fuel regularly poured out of the tank by a dishonest driver. Some fuel thieves go to extreme lengths, such as pumping out fuel while the vehicle is slowly moving to imitate regular consumption.

Perfect if CAN data is unavailable – Additional sensors are a good choice if CAN fuel level data is unavailable due to the vehicle’s age. For example, in 2024, 44.8% of vehicles registered in Kazakhstan were older than 20 years, making additional fuel level sensors a popular solution in the region.

Suitable for various use cases and vehicle types – Additional fuel sensors can be used in any type of vehicle, from light cars and trucks to special machinery and even stationary equipment like diesel-powered fuel generators. The telematics industry offers multiple sensors to choose from, helping measure not only the fuel level in the tank but also the amount of fuel passing through the sensor. These solutions are called flow meters. They help monitor refuelling at petrol stations and compare the amount of fuel poured into the tank with the amount purchased using company fuel cards.

DRAWBACKS

Professional installation and calibration required – Similar to CAN data reading solutions, fuel measurement with additional sensors requires professional installation. Moreover, in this case, it is needed to calibrate sensors according to the tank size and even tank drilling may be required for installation. To ensure accurate data reading, it is important to follow carefully the instructions provided by the sensor manufacturer and have some experience with telematics implementation.

Not warranty-friendly – If tank drilling is part of the installation process, the solution will most likely not be compatible with vehicle warranty. The only exception may be installation by a telematics provider certified by your insurance company, in case such partnerships exist in your country.

Extra investment in sensors – Since additional sensors are used on top of a telematics device, extra investment is required. Combined with the expenses related to professional installation, the overall project cost increases. However, for heavy vehicles and special machinery, fuel savings thanks to additional sensors will most probably offset the implementation costs.

To sum up, fuel sensors are ideal for high-precision fuel monitoring in professional telematics and are especially valuable for heavy-duty vehicles and special machinery when there is no access to CAN data.

Would you like to know more about fuel control implementation? Read a full use case that covers all 3 ways to do it: OBD devices, CAN data reading solutions, and fuel level sensors.

3 QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF

What kind of vehicles do I need to monitor? In case of a modern personal car, OBD trackers are a perfect choice. If you have a fleet of special machinery or heavy vehicles, you might consider those tracking devices that can be connected to CAN bus or even support external fuel sensors.

What is more important for me – precision or simplicity? Investing in high-precision fuel sensors will make a significant difference for vehicles with larger fuel tanks. If you operate heavy logistics trucks or construction machinery, even a small fuel data reading inaccuracy can lead to a considerable loss that remains invisible to the fleet operator. However, sometimes installation costs or the loss of the vehicle warranty can offset these benefits. This is where vehicle data reading solutions prove their value, allowing fuel control without additional sensors and tank drilling.

What are my priorities besides fuel control? While measuring fuel level itself is important, it is not the only valuable parameter that can help you save costs. Monitoring driver behaviour, detecting vehicle performance issues early, and measuring tyre pressure can also help lower fuel consumption. What is more, you may need to manage vehicle locks remotely or measure the temperature of transported cargo. Listing all the issues you want telematics to solve will help you pick the right solution for your fleet.