An Office in the Cab
Not that long ago, the onboard computer systems found in trucks were little more than data recorders. Pioneered by such companies as Tripmaster, these "black boxes" recorded things such as road speed and engine time - data that fleet managers could extract at the end of a trip to see how fast drivers were driving and how long the truck was running. Eventually, features were added that allowed drivers to input where they were, or when they crossed state lines, so these devices could be used for automated fuel tax reporting and driver logs. Communications were added, allowing the data to be transmitted back to a fleet's home office.