OEM vehicle data: How to pick the best data package for your fleet

As data-focused professionals who work with fleets of all sizes and compositions, we at Mike Albert Fleet Solutions have seen firsthand how the right data strategies can dramatically improve operations. At the same time, the wrong approaches almost always lead to wasted resources and missed opportunities. Here's what we believe every fleet owner and manager needs to know to best leverage OEM data effectively.

When it comes to OEM data, you have options. Lots of options

Today, every OEM offers subscription-based data packages, typically structured in tiers from basic to premium. Some manufacturers offer two levels; others provide as many as six or more options, each with varying capabilities and price points.

Standard data packages typically include basic information such as vehicle location, odometer readings, and limited diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). Premium packages usually offer comprehensive DTCs, advanced location tracking, and manufacturer-specific features. For instance, Toyota now includes collision detection capabilities that not only identify major impacts but even "micro" ones—such as a shopping cart striking your vehicle in a parking lot. This is an interesting feature, yes, but do you really need it?

Such questions cut to the heart of the matter: determining which OEM data package is best for your specific situation. Most fleets can probably do without micro-collision data, while some may see it as a strategic "must-have." As for what's best for your fleet, it comes down to your overall goals and objectives, the size and composition of your fleet, as well as your team's data analytics capabilities.

Part of what makes decision-making about OEM data offerings so challenging is the lack of standardization across manufacturers. While the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has established many industry standards, none yet exist for telematics. As such, the frequency, fidelity, and quality of OEM data vary significantly, requiring fleet managers to do their due diligence.

What data you pay for—and when—makes a big difference

How and when you acquire your OEM data capabilities has bottom-line implications. How so? Well, OEM data packages can be ordered at the time of vehicle purchase and capitalized into your lease, or added later through monthly subscriptions. This distinction is critical, particularly for larger fleets.

When you factory-order data packages, the cost is included in your capitalized lease expense, a financial benefit. Post-purchase subscriptions cannot be capitalized, which can cut into your bottom line. While the difference might seem negligible for a single vehicle, multiply that across 50, 100, or 1,000+ units, and the cost is meaningful enough to raise a CFO's eyebrow.

Cost-wise, OEM data packages typically range from about $200 to $500 per vehicle per year, depending on the subscription level and contract duration, which generally runs three to five years. Fleet managers should scrutinize the fine print in new-vehicle acquisition quotes. While some proposals may indicate lower monthly lease payments, this may be because the cost of the OEM data packages was not included and left for post-delivery activation, at which point those costs can't be capitalized.

Data: The key to taking maintenance management to a new level

From a maintenance perspective, connected vehicle data is a godsend. It can help reduce costs and downtime. How? For starters, DTC alerts provide real-time visibility into vehicle health, enabling proactive intervention before minor issues become costly and annoying roadside emergencies.

In addition, if a vehicle has visited multiple service facilities with recurring DTC codes, the maintenance team can reference the manufacturer's diagnostic tree and guide technicians toward resolution based on previous repair attempts. This benefit is particularly valuable for drivers who travel extensively and can't return to the same service location.

One of advanced telematics' most impressive strengths is its ability to distinguish between different levels of severity. For instance, such systems can differentiate between a small EVAP leak code (often just a loose gas cap after refueling), which does not require immediate action, and, say, an overheating engine, which does. The former can wait until a more opportune time to investigate; the latter demands immediate attention to prevent catastrophic failure and potential driver-safety issues.

More sophisticated telematics data can also account for environmental factors. When, for example, a NOx or O2 sensor triggers a check engine light that subsequently clears, location data can determine if the culprit was a simple change in elevation, avoiding unnecessary service visits while keeping drivers productive.

Data: Its value extends well beyond maintenance

Connected vehicle data extends well beyond the service bay. Location and usage data support multiple operational improvements, such as:

• Fuel fraud prevention: Matching fuel card transactions with vehicle location data helps identify discrepancies and unauthorized purchases.
• Route optimization: Detailed tracking data reveals inefficient routing patterns, enabling logistics improvements that reduce fuel consumption and improve productivity.
• Toll management: Precise location data confirms which vehicles incurred toll charges, eliminating disputes with toll authorities and ensuring accurate cost allocation.

Aftermarket solutions have their benefits

When it comes to vehicle data, there's a healthy aftermarket. Telematics providers, such as our partner Geotab, offer device-based solutions that can pull data directly from a vehicle's onboard diagnostics port. The cost of aftermarket telematics programs ranges from about $8 to $30 per vehicle per month—and there's no need to pay for the OEM's data as well.

Interestingly, some aftermarket solutions can collect and analyze more data points than the OEMs' packages. How do you evaluate the aftermarket solutions? There are three key differentiators to review: ping rate (how frequently the data is transmitted back and forth between the vehicle and the computers collecting and analyzing it), the breadth and depth of available data points, and how the data and insights are reported via a dashboard.

Regarding dashboards, manufacturers understandably want you to use their proprietary systems. For instance, Ford Pro offers impressive capabilities for Ford vehicles. GM's OnStar provides robust features for its vehicles. But if your fleet includes both those OEMs, along with, say, Toyota and Stellantis, you're looking at four different portals to monitor, or the need to use a device plugged into the diagnostics port to achieve it.

For most fleets, such data fragmentation isn't practical. Fleet managers typically prefer one location—a "single pane of glass"—from which to access their fleet data. This reality drives many fleets toward aftermarket telematics providers offering OEM-agnostic platforms or toward fleet management companies (FMCs) that aggregate data from multiple sources into a single, unified dashboard.

The critical need for the human touch

As you evaluate your OEM and aftermarket data options, keep in mind that the most successful fleets pair data collection with expert interpretation. Raw data has limited value if no one has the expertise to act on it. Whether through in-house specialists or a partnership with an FMC that provides this analysis, the human intelligence component remains critical. Yes, artificial intelligence can help with data analysis, but there's no getting around the need for human expertise based on years of real-world fleet experience.

In addition, remember that telematics is a means to an end, not an end in and of itself. The goal isn't to collect the most data or use the most sophisticated platform. The goal is operational excellence: vehicles that stay on the road, drivers who stay productive and safe, and maintenance costs that remain predictable and consistent. So, choose the solution that best supports your fleet's unique operational objectives and let the data guide you to an all-around better fleet.