NMEA 2000 is a standard for networking marine electronic devices, established by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA). It is based on the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus system, which is also used in the automotive and industrial control sectors. NMEA 2000 allows for the integration and interoperability of multiple marine electronics and instruments on a boat, enabling them to communicate and share data with each other. This standard is used globally and is common in applications involving GPS, autopilots, depth finders, navigation instruments, and other types of marine electronic devices.
The network is designed to be highly robust and reliable, ensuring that critical information is always available to the operator. Devices connected via NMEA 2000 can share information such as position, speed, depth, temperature, and other data such as lighting control, enhancing the safety, efficiency, and convenience of marine operations. The standard also supports plug-and-play functionality, making it easy to add or remove devices from the network.