System, apparatus and methods for data communication between vehicle and remote data communication terminal, between portions of vehicle and other portions of vehicle, between two or more vehicles, and between vehicle and communications network

A data communications system for communicating vehicle data to a remote data communications terminal, said vehicle data being selected from a group consisting of tire data, tire pressure data, engine temperature data, vehicle identification data, battery voltage data, and reefer data;

• said data communications system comprising:
• at least one electrical conductor;
• means for converting a first data communications protocol associated with communications of vehicle data along said electrical conductor to a second data communications protocol;
• and
• means for transmitting said second data communications protocol to the remote data communications terminal.

A method for communicating vehicle data to a remote data communications terminal, the vehicle data being selected from a group consisting of tire data, tire pressure data, engine temperature data, vehicle identification data, battery voltage data, and reefer data;

• the method comprising:
• converting a first data communications protocol associated with communications of vehicle data to a second data communications protocol;
• and
• transmitting the second data communications protocol to the remote data communications terminal.