BONNET has launched OEM Connect, a hardware free vehicle tracking feature that connects directly to Tesla, BYD, and Mercedes-Benz vehicles. For fleet operators in New Zealand, this means you can now track vehicles, manage compliance, and monitor fleet activity without installing a single physical device.
This is a significant step for the New Zealand fleet management market. Until now, fleet tracking has relied almost exclusively on aftermarket GPS devices that need to be physically installed in every vehicle. OEM Connect changes that equation entirely.
What “hardware free” actually means
No boxes. No wires. No installation appointments. No vehicle downtime. BONNET connects directly to the vehicle manufacturer’s cloud platform using a simple digital consent flow. Once connected, the platform pulls odometer data, location information, and other fleet metrics straight from the OEM systems.
This is possible because modern connected vehicles already have built in telematics hardware from the factory. Tesla, BYD, and Mercedes-Benz vehicles all communicate with their manufacturer’s cloud platforms as a standard feature. BONNET’s OEM Connect simply taps into this existing data stream with the fleet operator’s permission.
The practical difference is dramatic. Instead of scheduling installation appointments across your fleet (which can take weeks for larger operations), you can connect vehicles in minutes from your desk.
Supported vehicles at launch
OEM Connect launches with support for three of the most popular EV brands currently operating in New Zealand fleets:
- Tesla: Full support for Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X. Tesla’s comprehensive API provides rich data including location, odometer, battery status, and charging information.
- BYD: Support for popular models including the Atto 3 and Dolphin. BYD has rapidly become one of the most common EVs in New Zealand commercial fleets.
- Mercedes-Benz: Support for the EQ range of electric vehicles including the EQA, EQB, and EQS models. Mercedes-Benz’s connected services platform provides the data foundation.
These three brands represent a significant portion of the EV fleet market in New Zealand. Additional manufacturers are planned, with BMW, Volkswagen, and Kia expected in future updates. If your fleet includes vehicles from these upcoming brands, you can register your interest to be notified when support is available.
Why this matters for RUC compliance
Road User Charges are built on one thing: accurate distance records. If your odometer data is not up to date, your entire compliance foundation is compromised. Late purchases, inaccurate records, and audit failures all stem from poor distance tracking.
With OEM Connect, odometer data updates automatically from the vehicle manufacturer’s systems. This is the same odometer reading displayed on the vehicle’s dashboard, providing a reliable and auditable data source for RUC compliance.
The practical benefits for compliance are substantial:
- Odometer data is collected automatically without relying on manual driver reporting
- RUC tracking stays accurate because distance data comes directly from the vehicle
- Compliance admin time drops significantly when you eliminate manual data collection
- Your fleet stays on the road and productive instead of stuck in spreadsheets
- Audit trails are cleaner because the data source is consistent and timestamped
The consent flow: fast and secure
Connecting a vehicle through OEM Connect is a straightforward process designed to take minutes, not hours:
- Choose OEM Connect in BONNET. Select the hardware free connection option when adding a vehicle.
- Select your vehicle brand. Choose Tesla, BYD, or Mercedes-Benz from the supported manufacturers.
- Complete the consent authorisation. You will be redirected to the manufacturer’s authorisation page where you grant BONNET permission to access your vehicle data. This is a secure, manufacturer controlled process.
- Your data syncs automatically. Once authorised, odometer readings, location data, and other available metrics begin flowing into your BONNET dashboard.
The consent can be revoked at any time through the manufacturer’s platform, giving fleet operators full control over their data access.
How OEM Connect fits into a broader fleet strategy
OEM Connect is not intended to replace hardware tracking entirely. It is a new option that works alongside traditional GPS tracking solutions for vehicles that are not OEM supported.
Most New Zealand fleets operate a mix of vehicle types, ages, and brands. You might have newer Teslas and BYDs that are perfect candidates for OEM Connect, alongside older vehicles that still need physical GPS trackers. BONNET supports both approaches in a single platform, so you get one dashboard for your entire fleet regardless of how each vehicle is connected.
This hybrid model gives fleet operators the flexibility to use the best connection method for each vehicle while maintaining a unified view of their operations.
Hardware free is the future of fleet tracking
The automotive industry is moving firmly toward connected vehicles as standard. Every major manufacturer is investing heavily in vehicle connectivity, and the data available through OEM platforms will only increase over time.
For fleet operators, this trend means that the proportion of your fleet eligible for hardware free tracking will grow with every vehicle replacement cycle. Starting with OEM Connect now positions your fleet management approach for where the industry is heading.
It is cleaner, faster, and more reliable than physical hardware for supported vehicles. It eliminates installation logistics, device maintenance, and hardware failure risks. And it provides manufacturer grade data that is inherently accurate.
What this means for the NZ fleet market
New Zealand has a growing EV fleet market driven by government policy, fuel cost savings, and corporate sustainability goals. As more EVs enter commercial fleets, the demand for fleet management solutions that understand electric vehicles is increasing.
BONNET’s OEM Connect is built specifically for this market. It combines hardware free vehicle tracking with New Zealand specific compliance features like RUC management, WOF and COF tracking, and registration reminders. This is not a global platform adapted for New Zealand. It is a New Zealand platform built for local fleet requirements.
For fleet operators evaluating their options, OEM Connect represents a genuinely new approach to fleet tracking that is worth exploring, especially if you are running Tesla, BYD, or Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Get started with OEM Connect
Try for free today and connect your first vehicle in minutes. Visit the OEM Connect page to learn more about supported vehicles, or check out BONNET pricing to see how it fits your fleet budget.