How Wireless Data Tracking Expands Machine Intelligence in the Utility Industry

Utility fleets are being transformed through connected technology that reshapes how work is planned, tracked, and maintained. Most modern vehicles already include CAN networks and telematics platforms to monitor machine performance, but these systems often stop at vehicle monitoring.

For fleet managers and personnel supervisors working in the utility industry, the next evolution lies in wireless IoT expansion — integrating Bluetooth®-enabled data tracking tags and wireless sensors to extend equipment visibility beyond traditional wiring and harnesses

This approach not only increases the amount and accuracy of data collected but also reduces installation complexity and cost while enhancing the equipment’s digital intelligence.

Connecting What CAN and Telematics Don’t See

CAN and telematics systems are powerful but primarily monitor hardwired systems — engine diagnostics, hydraulic pressures, and electrical loads. However, many critical assets in and around the vehicle, such as attachments, tools, and mobile components, remain invisible to these networks.

By incorporating data tracking tags or low-power wireless sensors, these off-machine assets can be connected into the vehicle’s data stream. This creates a localized IoT network that tracks both the equipment and its accessories in real time, enabling full jobsite awareness.

Examples include:

• Monitoring utilization of booms, lifts, or bucket attachments
• Tracking tool presence and activity on the vehicle
• Logging environmental conditions or load sensors remotely
• Identifying misplaced or underutilized equipment

Wireless Sensor Integration: Eliminating Harnesses and Reducing Complexity

Traditional equipment design relies on wiring harnesses and connectors to collect sensor data. While effective, these systems are labor-intensive, costly, and prone to wear, particularly in rugged outdoor environments common to utility work.

Wireless sensor technology solves these challenges by enabling sensors to transmit data via Bluetooth® directly to a CAN gateway or telematics hub — eliminating the need for long cable runs or complex routing through the chassis.

Key Advantages:

• Reduced Wiring & Harness Costs: Wireless sensors eliminate heavy wiring bundles, reducing material expenses and assembly time.
• Simplified Installation & Assembly: Fewer physical connections mean faster production and less opportunity for wiring errors.
• Improved Reliability: No connectors to corrode or fail in harsh environments.
• Greater Design Flexibility: Sensors can be positioned where wiring was previously impractical, expanding measurable parameters.
• Lower Maintenance Costs: Fewer wiring issues mean less downtime and reduced field service calls.

Expanding Data Collection Through Seamless Integration

Wireless data collection devices communicate through the machine’s existing CAN gateways or telematics systems, ensuring a unified data structure without adding complexity.

This integration merges all key data points into one easily managed ecosystem:

• Machine diagnostics and performance (via CAN)
• Location, utilization, and uptime (via telematics)
• Wireless asset and component data (via Bluetooth®)

Because the architecture is open and modular, data processing capabilities can be scaled across equipment lines without redesigning entire systems — a cost-effective way to modernize existing platforms and offer new features to customers.

Enabling Digital Expansion for Utility Operations

The OEM Controls custom-configured platform supports open communication protocols — such as API, MQTT, or CAN pass-through — ensuring seamless integration with utility telematics dashboards, asset management systems, or enterprise data networks.

This approach allows for added wireless intelligence without disrupting the customer’s established digital ecosystem.

Building Value Through IoT Expansion

Integrating wireless data tracking sensors and tags allows for:

• Expansion of IoT data collection beyond hardwired limits
• Reduction in wiring, harness, and connector costs
• Simplification of production and field maintenance
• Predictive diagnostics and compliance reporting
• Differentiation of equipment line types with enhanced connectivity
• Creation of new digital service and subscription opportunities
   

The Future of Connected Utility Equipment

The next generation of connected machinery won’t simply communicate through CAN or telematics — it will sense, transmit, and learn across a wireless ecosystem of data points.
By incorporating Bluetooth®-enabled devices within custom-engineered architecture, manufacturers can deliver equipment that is more intelligent, and more cost-efficient — giving utilities a smarter way to manage their operations.

OEM Controls

Expanding IoT Data. Reducing Complexity. Powering the Next Generation of Connected Utility Equipment.