OEM PID READING
SERVICE LEVEL 1
WHAT IS IT?
PIDs or Parameter IDs, are individual data streams from sensors throughout a vehicle. Modern cars can have thousands of these PIDs coming from sensors associated with dozens of different control units (ECUs).
Historically, most telematic devices that connect to a vehicle’s CAN Bus network, only use generic protocols known as OBDII which only allow access to drive-train ECUs for emissions related data. This standard is known as J1979 and has been around since the late 1980s. The problem with this approach is that the data you retrieve is generic and very limited while not giving any access to manufacturer ECUs, their sensors and data found throughout the rest of the vehicle
The NC1701 chipset gets around this restriction by using all the manufacturers own protocols and thus it is unrestricted in the type or amount of data (PIDs) that it can access on any given car.
With NC1701 embedded into a partner’s telematic device, the OEM PIDs it can retrieve number in their thousands so, for practical purposes, we have created a “MOST WANTED” list of data that our clients have requested over the years.
These PIDs include BUT ARE NOT LIMITED to the following:
OEM PID | MEASUREMENT |
---|---|
ODOMETER | KMS/MILES |
FUEL LEVEL | LITRES / % |
FUEL CONSUMPTION | LITRES/KM |
DIESEL ADDITIVE (AdBlue®) LEVEL | LITRES |
SERVICE – DISTANCE UNTIL NEXT SERVICE | KMS/MILES |
SERVICE – TIME UNTIL NEXT SERVICE | DAYS |
OIL – DISTANCE TO NEXT CHANGE | KMS |
OIL – REMAINING LIFE | % |
OIL – SERVICE REQUEST | OFF/ON/UNDETERMINED |
OIL – TIME TO NEXT CHANGE | DAYS |
OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE | °C |
DOOR STATUS – FRONT L/R, REAR L/R | CLOSED/OPEN/UNDETERMINED |
VEHICLE LOCKED | UNLOCKED/LOCKED/UNDETERMINED |
SEAT BELT STATUS – DRIVER & PASSENGER | UNBUCKLED/BUCKLED/UNDETERMINED |
SEAT OCCUPANT SENSORS – FRONT L/R, REAR | NO/YES/UNDETERMINED |
TPMS (TYRE PRESSURE) WARNING | OFF/ON/UNDETERMINED |
WIPER FLUID STATUS | OK/FAULT/UNDETERMINED |
This ability of Nebula’s IP to go beyond the remit of generic OBDII data is best summed up in the following image:

HOW IT WORKS
When a client’s NC1701 enabled telematic device is first connected to a vehicle, NC1701 extracts the VIN using our own VIN reading algorithm, and sends it to our MECH5.com cloud.
MECH5 then generates a specific Configuration File for that make and model of car, which contains the instructions to read OEM PIDs and interpret them. The fully encrypted and secure Config File is then sent back to NC1701.
As each Config file is VIN specific, there is no load on memory space in the device. Furthermore, once the Config File is implemented, all data requests and interpretations happen locally on the device with no additional GSM data transmissions required by our service. Frequency of data requests and data transmission to the client’s back-end is decided by the client device.
Our servers never see the client’s vehicle data and thus our service remains completely GDPR compliant
THE BUSINESS MODEL
Nebula’s OEM PID reading and interpretation service is based on the following simple pricing basis:
- Select from up to FIFTY PIDs from our standard OEM list (other PIDs available subject to contract)
- Either monthly per VIN fee OR one off charge for the life of each NC1701 + VIN+ IMEI (or unique device serial number) combination.
- Prices are based on VIN quantities over a 12 month period.
With no monthly subscription costs, this makes our PID service very affordable.
Please CONTACT US for current pricing