Cable VCBL-Y-FMST: AI Dashcam Plus installation guide for vehicles with FMS port and Tachograph

Updated 21 October 2026 13:31

Cable VCBL-Y-FMST: AI Dashcam Plus installation guide for vehicles with FMS port and Tachograph
This guide is intended for professional installers and covers both the FMS (power and telematics) and tachograph connections when installing the AI Dashcam Plus with the VCBL-Y-FMST cable on vehicles of 2.5 tonnes and above fitted with a digital tachograph.

Motive's Remote Tachograph Download (RTD) solution lets you download driver card and vehicle unit files remotely no more visiting each vehicle with a download key.

It walks through choosing the right connection path for the vehicle, connecting power and telematics, wiring the tachograph's rear C port, and verifying CAN bus termination so remote downloads work reliably.
This guide covers the hardware installation only. Feature enablement and company card setup in the Motive Fleet Dashboard, as well as Motive's remote card hosting service, are covered in separate Motive Help Center articles.

Supported tachographs

VDO and Stoneridge digital tachographs, generations 1.0, 2.0, and 2.2. Some VDO and Stoneridge units require a on=

What comes in the box?

Cable VCBL-Y-FMST
Cable ties

Tools required

Screwdriver set
Plastic pry bar
Cutting pliers
Gripping pliers
Tachograph removal pins
Socket set
Multimeter
Spare wires

Cables and accessories

VCBL-Y-FMST (FMS cable)
CAN sniffer harness: Optional, needed when the vehicle has no active FMS port (Scenario 2, Tacho C is active and available, but the FMS port is not)
CAN termination adapter: Optional: fits between the vehicle adapter and the FMS cable when the CAN bus is under-terminated (see Connect the Tachograph section)

Installing Cable VCBL-Y-FMST

Note: Before starting the installation, ensure the following:
The parking brake is engaged.
The engine is off.
The main power switch (if fitted) is turned off.
The vehicle's ignition is completely OFF and the battery system is stable before taking any multimeter resistance measurements. This avoids false readings and protects the vehicle's ECUs.

Identify the Cable Ends

The VCBL-Y-FMST cable includes six labelled ends:

Cable end	Description
P1	Connects to the Motive vehicle adapter (VIA unit)
P2	Connects to the vehicle's FMS port
P3	Optional: connects to the CAN sniffer accessory
P4	Optional: Tacho C Y-splitter — accepts an existing factory-fitted cable or third-party device
P5	Connects to the tachograph's C port (pins C5 and C7), with a loop between C7 and C8
P6	Optional: required to connect to hardwired ports (power, ground, and ignition) if the CAN sniffer is used for telematics

Choose Your Installation Scenario

First identify which of the three scenarios applies to the vehicle. Scenarios 1 and 2 (direct Tacho C connection) are the recommended approaches. Use Scenario 3 only if the Tacho C port is sealed or unavailable.

Scenario	Situation	Connection
1	Both the FMS port and the Tacho C port are active and available	Connect P2 to the vehicle's FMS port for power and telematics, and P5 to the tachograph's C port to read RTD data. Follow Sections 6, 7(Option 1), 8, and 9.
2	Tacho C is active and available, but the FMS port is not	Connect P3 to the CAN sniffer harness for telematics, P6 to the hardwired ports (power, ground, ignition), and P5 to the tachograph's C port. Follow Sections 6, 7(Option 2), 8 , and 9.
3	The FMS port is active and available, but Tacho C is sealed or unavailable	Connect P2 to the vehicle's FMS port — no tachograph connection, then go directly to RTD via the FMS Port.

Note: Confirm that remote download is enabled on the tachograph. If the fleet already uses a remote download service, it is enabled. If unknown, the only way to confirm is to connect to the vehicle. If RTD data is not available through either Tacho C or the FMS port, remote download is not enabled on the tachograph — the vehicle must visit an authorised tachograph workshop to enable it.

Connect the AI Dashcam Plus

Plug the AI Dashcam Plus cable into the vehicle adapter.
Plug the vehicle adapter into the P1 end of the VCBL-Y-FMST cable.
Slide the vehicle adapter into the mounting bracket. Insert the zip ties vertically around the entire vehicle adapter and cable connections, then fasten and secure them .Securely attach the bracket to the vehicle

Note: Do not leave the vehicle adapter hanging by wires. The vehicle adapter must be fully supported by the bracket and the bracket must be secured to the vehicle

Fasten the bracket to the vehicle.

Use one of the three methods below. All three are included in the kit.

Option 1: Zip ties

Route the provided zip ties through the mounting holes in the bracket.
Fasten the bracket to a secure position in the vehicle with the zip ties.

Option 2: Dual Lock

Peel off one side of the release liner from each Dual Lock strip.
Place the strips on the flat underside of the bracket, one on each side of the center groove. Align the long edge of each strip with the edge of the groove.
Align the short edge of each strip with the edge of the side walls so the strip doesn't extend past the plastic surface.
Remove the remaining liner and press the bracket onto a flat surface.

Option 3: Screws

Choose a flat, hard plastic or metal surface for the VIA Bracket.
Before drilling, check behind the mounting surface for wiring, airbags, and other components.
Use a power drill to fasten the VIA Bracket to the vehicle with the two provided self-drilling screws.

Connect Power and Telematics

Vehicles with an FMS port installed/activated

Locate the FMS port. The FMS port connector is typically located behind the fuse board. Common locations by vehicle:

Before connecting the AI Dashcam Plus, it is recommended to take the following steps:

Use a multimeter to verify that the plug has the correct point of contact.
Battery live feed: use a constant, fused power supply source.
Ignition live feed: must be a Live While Cranking (LWC) ignition source and must not be connected to a temporary or accessory (ACC) system. Use chassis earth for ground.

Then connect the cable:

Plug the male end of the Motive cable (P2) into the vehicle's female FMS port.

Vehicles without an FMS port installed/activated

If the vehicle does not have an FMS port available, connect using the contactless (inductive) CAN sniffer. Leave out any excess hardwired lines on the CAN sniffer if present.

Identify the correct CAN bus installation location in the vehicle (CAN 1 and/or CAN 2).
Use an inductive CAN sniffer.
Remove the screws and place the CAN High (CAN_H) wire in the sniffer.
Push the wire on both ends of the CAN cable. Use the tabs to lock and hold the wires in place.
Repeat the same steps for the CAN Low (CAN_L) wire.
Assemble with screws and ensure the wires are straight and properly seated.
Connect the P3 end of the VCBL-Y-FMST cable to the CAN sniffer accessory (Do not connect the P2 end of the cable to any port. Zip tie and tuck it away so that the port is not used)
Secure the CAN reader wires using sponge clamps and fasten them to the mounting screws
Connect the P6 end to the hardwired ports: connect the power wires to the vehicle power source and the ground wires to the vehicle chassis ground.
Turn the ignition ON and check the LED indicator on the back of the CAN reader:
- Green LED: installation successful
- Red LED: installation incorrect
- Amber LED: CAN_H and CAN_L are swapped
- No LED: device is not receiving power

Connect the Tachograph

Why termination matters

A CAN bus needs exactly two 120 Ω termination resistors, one at each physical end of the bus, giving a combined reading of approximately 60 Ω. Verifying this after connection is critical: incorrect termination causes signal reflection and unreliable remote downloads.

Extract the tachograph and connect

When connecting to the tachograph directly, check that no third-party devices are already connected to it:

Turn the ignition off.
Ensure that the tachograph's C port is not sealed.
Locate the tachograph and carefully extract it from its dashboard slot using standard tachograph removal pins.
Connect the device: plug the Tacho C cable end (P5) into the Tacho C port on the back of the tachograph. If another device or factory harness is already present in Tacho C, remove the factory harness from the Tacho C port and connect it to the Y-splitter branch of the VCBL-Y-FMST cable (P4), then connect P5 to the Tacho C port.
With the Tacho C cable connected, measure the resistance across pins C5 and C7 with a multimeter. Every installation must finish at approximately 60 Ω. Photograph the reading and add it to the job sheet for every installation.
Use the measured resistance to determine whether corrective action is needed, per the scenarios below.

Scenario A: Tacho C is already populated (factory-fitted cable present)

Connect the factory harness to the P4 end of the cable and connect the P5 end of the cable to the Tacho C port.
Re-measure the resistance across C5 and C7 — the circuit must now read approximately 60 Ω (Case 1: properly terminated — no further action needed).

Case 2 — resistance still measures ~120 Ω (under-terminated). Add the CAN termination adapter between the vehicle adapter and the FMS cable, then re-measure across C5 and C7 — the circuit must now read approximately 60 Ω.

If the resistance measures 40 Ω after both of the above, the bus is over-terminated — cut the loop between C7 and C8.

Scenario B: Tacho C is empty

Resistance measures ~120 Ω — under-terminated. Requires the CAN termination adapter; the C7–C8 loop (which engages the tachograph's internal termination) is built into the P5 harness:

Connect the P5 end of the cable to the C port of the tachograph.
The loop wire between pins C7 and C8 on the harness connecting to the Tacho C port should already be attached.
If the resistance measures 120 Ω, add the CAN termination adapter between the vehicle adapter and the FMS cable.
Re-measure across C5 and C7 — the circuit must now read approximately 60 Ω.

Quick resistance reference (measured across C5 and C7)

Reading	What to do
~60 Ω	Correct — leave as is. Do not cut the C7–C8 loop.
~120 Ω	Under-terminated. If the loop is present, add the CAN termination adapter between the vehicle adapter and the FMS cable.
Below 60 Ω (~40 Ω)	Over-terminated — cut the loop between C7 and C8.

Note: When connecting to both the FMS port and Tacho C, the cable may be too short in some vehicles. If so, extend the Tacho C wire following Motive's recommended connection methods.

Tacho C port pin reference

C5 — CAN High
C7 — CAN Low (measure resistance across C5 and C7)
C7–C8 loop — engages the tachograph's internal 120 Ω termination

RTD via the FMS Port

Use this approach only as a fallback, when the Tacho C port is sealed or caged.

Connect the FMS end of the cable (P2) to the vehicle's FMS port and complete the installation.

Refit the Tachograph

After all wiring is complete, carefully slide the tachograph back into its dashboard slot.

Test and Mount the AI Dashcam Plus

Refer to the AI Dashcam Plus Installation Guide for instructions on mounting the device.
Start the vehicle's engine. Once the alert (right) LED turns blue, the AI Dashcam Plus is powered on and connected.

Next Steps and Support

Enable the RTD feature and set up company cards in the Motive Fleet Dashboard — see the Motive Help Center for instructions.
If remote download is not enabled on a tachograph, arrange a one-time activation at an authorised tachograph workshop.

For installation support, contact Motive Support

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Vehicle	FMS port location
Scania R-G-P series	The FMS connector (C137) is located underneath the fuse board and is marked green
Scania new R-S-G-P series	The FMS connector (C137) is located behind the fuse board (take out the air tube)
DAF CF / XF 105	The FMS and A098 connectors can be found behind a module on the left or under the fuse board
Iveco Stralis II & Hi-Way	Behind the radio, housed in one of the compartments in DIN format
MAN TGX, TGS, TGM, TGL	In the headliner
Renault D	Behind the radio panel — FMS connector X26
Renault Magnum DXI (VF617) & E-Tech	The grey FMS connector is behind the cup holder on the right side of the driver; all connections can be made there
Renault Midlum DXI / Premium DXI (VF624 / VF627 / VF629)	Depends on cab model and production date: behind the cover plate underneath the radio, or behind the bottom part of the dashboard (dismount the glove box to reach it)