Although it would be nice if fuel management technology was always as simple as “fuel up and go,” there are many intricate pieces of software and hardware that work together to make the system work flawlessly. That being said, technology is constantly being iterated upon and improved, and fueling is no exception. Previous generation VIBs (Vehicle Identification Boxes) have reached end-of-life and will no longer be manufactured. The newer technology, FJ3, brings quality-of-life improvements, including but not limited to automation for maintenance tasks and configuration, vehicle autodetection, FJ3 autoconfiguration, and auto-update over-the-air. In many cases, this can save up to an hour of effort per vehicle!
What are some of the steps of the older GenVIB programming?
With the older technology, you would be required to place your “KeyBoxII” programmer within six inches of the fuel ring. From there, you must manually look up the appropriate CAN-code for your vehicle in the AssetWorks CAN-code list, then program accordingly.
If you wanted to upgrade within this technology, you would need to:
- Purchase additional parts to update the firmware version.
- Manually update the firmware by plugging in a cable and using the VIB flashing tool with a connected PC.
What are some of the benefits of the newer FJ3 programming?
With FJ3, you must first place your FuelFocus Programmer within six inches of the fuel ring. Program using the appropriate CAN-code for your vehicle from the CAN-code guide. Firmware updates are placed on the ICU (Island Controller Unit). The ICU will auto-update firmware on all FJ3 devices it encounters while they are parked within range of the WAF (Wireless Automated Fueling). You never need to hand-update again!
If you wanted to upgrade within this technology, you would need to allow the FJ3 to auto-detect the vehicle it is connected to, which would then program its own CAN-code; reducing required work from your motor pool team even further.
What is the major difference between the two?
- GenVIB
Software updates require costly extra equipment, administrator-level access to a PC, cabling, and to update each VIB one at a time for every new vehicle time: about 5-10 minutes in front of a PC per VIB - FJ3
You put the update on the ICU and it takes care of the rest as vehicles enter the WAF.
Time: about 15 seconds
