Smartrak OBD II User Guide

The Device 

The OBD II device will be delivered from Smartrak to a designated contact within your organisation. All devices are individually boxed with a label indicating the vehicle registration is has been setup against.  The OBD II comes fully assembled and includes;

• 4G/5G Teltonika OBDII Unit FMM001/3

• Micro-SIM

• OBD Extension Cable

Dimensions:

67.2 x 49.6 x 25 mm (L x W x H)

Weight:

63g

The OBD II plugs directly into the vehicle’s on-board diagnostics port.  A Smartrak authorised installer is not required to do this, however we do recommend that someone suitably familiar with the vehicle’s diagnostic system carries out the installation.

Depending on the location of the port, the device can be used by directly plugging the device into the OBD port. The device needs to be secure, and unobtrusive so there is no chance of accidentally knocking the device. Properly securing the device is important to avoid the device accidentally falling under the brake pedal which may cause an accident. Please note that securing the device is the customer's responsibility. 

The best way to install and secure the device is vehicle specific and it's hard to define a best way for every model/year. Generally speaking, the device should be placed out of the way so it cannot be accidentally knocked out of place by the driver or passenger. For that end, we can supply extension cables so the device can be placed away from the driver and hidden from view. Where the device is ultimately placed, it must be secured, and not in close proximity to any electrical cables. The use of cable ties and tape is recommended - the device needs to be rigid with the car body, not floating on any moving part.

Connecting the device to the vehicle:

• Find OBD II connector in your vehicle (See picture: Most common OBDII connector locations.).

• Before connecting the device to the OBD II socket, make sure that ≥3A fuse is present on OBD connector power supply

After installation please:

• Call the Smartrak Installer line at +64 7 857 0791 (NZ) or +61 3 9015 7990 (AU) to confirm and test that installation was successful (note you should be with the vehicle when you call. You will be required to identify the OBD-II device either by its serial number or name which will likely correspond to the vehicle’s registration/licence plate)

• Alternatively, you can check each install on the Smartrak map to ensure the device has been installed correctly and is sending data to the server.

Assigning the Device 

In order for the resource (vehicle & device) to be seen on the map it needs to be allocated to a User and have permissions and groups (if applicable) assigned to the resource.  A Map User will not be able to see a resource until it has been assigned to them via Permissions.  Groups can also be used to help organisations with larger numbers of vehicles for easy viewing and assigning to users.

• Managing Users and Permissions

• How do I assign Permission to Users?

• How do I assign Resources By Groups?

To test if the assignment is complete and accurate, based on the permissions assigned to the resource, you should be able to see it on the Smartrak map.

The OBD II creates events on the map and polling is determined by which ever of the following happens first;

• Time - every 15mins

• Distance - travel 250m

• Speed - change of speed more than 10kmph

• Direction - change direction more than 25 degrees 

Events available to view on the map include;

• Key On

• Key Off

• Change of direction

• Stops

• Movement 

• Overspeed

• Geofence entry/exit

For more information about the map and events go to;

• What do the Map icons mean?

• Overview of viewing Vehicle Information & History

The device can trigger Geofence Check In and Out for Smartrak Pool Booking and PoolCar solutions - See this page here for more information - Automated Check In/Out with Geofences

The device can trigger Smartrak Geofence enter and exit emails (and/or SMS messages) when a GPS location update is detected inside or outside of a configured Geofence.

To enable this functionality, first create a Geofence with one of the following Geofence classes.

Note: Though the class refers to Email, SMS can also be configured for these Geofence events.

Using the 'Alerts' Geofences class will enable on-screen alerts on the Smartrak map site - both Emails and SMS can be configured for these alerts also.

Instructions for setting up recipients with Email and/or SMS notifications via Smartrak Admin can be found here

If you cannot see Geofence Enter/Exit classes on your map or the Alert type in Smartrak Admin, please make a request through the customer service portal for Geofence alerting.

For more information refer to;

• Alerts

• How to create and manage SMS and Email Alerts

• How to create Geofence Email Alert

The Smartrak platform has a range of standard reports, the main reports for the OBD II are;

• Overspeed Period Report: Shows the individual periods when vehicles were speeding. The report includes the date and time of each period, overspeed period duration, location, posted speed limit (for those customers with the Posted Speed Limits feature enabled), and overspeed magnitude.  
  
  

• Overspeed Severity Report: A headline report showing the severity by which each vehicle was speeding (highest overspeed, longest time and distance speeding. Along with the magnitude of over-speeding for those customers with the Posted Speed Limits feature enabled). Vehicles can optionally be grouped into three categories (Most Serious, Moderate and Mild Offences) based on their degree of speeding.

• Driver Overspeed Severity, Period & Trip Reports: driver-based reports for use with Smartrak Driver Identification types - PoolCar, Smartrak Pool Booking, Assigned Driver, Smartrak Identify App. Driver-Based Reporting **UPDATED**
  
  

• Fleet Utilisation Report: The Fleet Utilisation report reveals opportunities to optimise fleet usage and size.

• Trip*: Provides an overview of all trips that occurred on a given day by the selected vehicle or group of vehicles. (OBD II device does not generate adequate trip data which means the device should not be used for reliable trip detection)
  
  

• Geofence Report: Calculates distance travelled and time spent within a selected geofence. In conjunction with this report you can run ‘Trips out of Geofence’ which provides details of trips that are outside of the selected geofence.  

To learn how to run or schedule a report go to;

• How to run a Standard Report

• How to Schedule a Standard Report

Frequently Asked Questions 

• How does the OBD II track a vehicle?
  The OBD II sends a signal via a 4G/5G cellular network to the Smartrak platform, which is viewable on a computer. The Smartrak map displays the position of the vehicle.

• How often is a vehicle’s location updated on the system?
  Every 15 minutes or every 250m travelled, whichever occurs first.

• How sensitive is the tracking?
  Changes in direction greater than 25 degrees and changes in speed greater than 10km/h are reported.

• Can I go back and review a particular vehicle’s journey?
  Yes, the Smartrak map shows vehicle journeys in real time and can be used to review previous journeys. They can be reviewed at any time.

• What else can I see on the map?

  • Key-on and key-off events

  • Vehicle speeds and overspeed alerts. Issued when vehicles exceed the posted speed limit, or the limit that has been set by company policy.

  • Customised Geofences. To provide alerts when vehicles enter or leave a specific area. This can help you to monitor when work teams are on-site, or to indicate areas of interest.

• How many vehicles can be included in the system?
  Any number of vehicles can be included.

• Can I use this device for Fleet Servicing?
  Yes, the virtual odometer will be used for Fleet Servicing 

• Can I use this device for RUC (including off-road RUC claims)?
  No, the OBD device does not support RUC at this stage

• Am I limited as to which vehicles the OBD II can be installed in?
  Most modern vehicles have a compatible diagnostics port. * Not recommended for EVs and Hybrids.

• Can I self-install the OBD II?
  The OBD II plugs directly into the vehicle’s on-board diagnostics port. As long as you are aware of the location of the port you do not need any specialist help.

• Can I swap the OBD II between vehicles?
  If the OBD II is to be removed from a vehicle and installed in another, Smartrak will need informing so that a reallocation can occur. This ensures accurate and relevant data continues to be reported. There may be an additional cost involved in reallocating the device within the system.

• Can the OBD II be used with Smartrak’s Keyless Entry?
  Yes.

• Is there a tampering or unit removal alert?
  Yes.

• If the OBD II is plugged into the vehicle diagnostics port, can the port still be used for servicing requirements?
  Yes, there is an additional option for a T Cable. Picture below.