Daimler Buses has entered into a partnership with ChargePoint, one of Europe’s leading telematics service providers for electric buses. This collaboration aims to empower transport companies operating multi-brand fleets by allowing them to seamlessly access vehicle data from Mercedes-Benz and Setra buses. This integration is now possible without the need for additional hardware, making it easier to incorporate this data on a larger scale within the ChargePoint fleet management system.
Expansion of the Partnership Model
Daimler Buses already offers a comprehensive range of connectivity solutions through its Omniplus On digital services. Customers have multiple options to utilize these services, either via the Omniplus On portal or by integrating high-quality vehicle data into telematics systems through a variety of partner applications. Fifteen well-known European providers of telematics and depot management systems are already part of Daimler’s Data-as-a-Service (DaaS) portfolio, allowing seamless integration of Daimler Buses’ vehicle data into fleet management systems to optimize fleet analysis and management. ChargePoint now joins this esteemed group as another key partner.
Mutual Benefits for Customers
Bernd Mack, Head of Customer Services & Parts and Used Vehicles at Daimler Buses, expressed his satisfaction with the partnership, stating, “I am very pleased that, with ChargePoint, we have gained another partner for our Data-as-a-Service ecosystem. This partnership is another important step towards making vehicle data usage as easy and secure as possible for our bus customers.”
Uwe Münch, Director of Bus & Transit Europe at ChargePoint, also highlighted the benefits of the collaboration, noting that many of their bus fleet customers across Europe operate Daimler Buses vehicles. “This partnership offers real value to customers of both companies, providing additional options for users of our software to optimize their bus fleets, whether electric or conventionally powered,” Münch said.
Enhanced Data Utilization
The new agreement brings significant advantages for ChargePoint customers with Mercedes-Benz and Setra buses in their fleets. The need for additional hardware installation is eliminated, as ChargePoint can now access data directly from the Bus Data Center, a standard feature in all Daimler Buses vehicles. Customers only need to purchase a monthly data package from Omniplus On for each bus, along with the necessary data release from the transport company.
Moreover, the Bus Data Center transmits over 450 data points in real-time, including all vehicle diagnostic data. It can also receive commands via the mobile network, such as preconditioning the eCitaro, providing additional functionality for fleet management systems.
High-Level Data Security
Lastly, ChargePoint customers operating Daimler Buses vehicles will benefit from enhanced data security. Daimler Buses is the first bus manufacturer to have homologated its vehicles under the new international cybersecurity directive, UN ECE R155. This means that data is protected to the highest standard, ensuring secure transfer along the entire connectivity route from the vehicle to Daimler Buses’ cloud.
