A data transmission method, wherein the method comprises: determining, by a vehicle terminal, a data format of detection information, wherein the detection information is associated with a map element; sending, by the vehicle terminal, the detection information of the vehicle terminal to a first network device based on the data format; and receiving (S05, S09, S13), by the vehicle terminal, map element change information sent by the first network device or a second network device; characterized in that the determining, by the vehicle terminal, the data format of detection information is based on a map element type corresponding to the detection information; and wherein the determining, by the vehicle terminal, the data format of the detection information based on the map element type corresponding to the detection information comprises: the map element type corresponding to the detection information comprises a first type and a second type, and when the map element type corresponding to the detection information is the first type, determining, by the vehicle terminal, that the data format of the detection information is a format 1, a format 2, or a format 3; or when the map element type corresponding to the detection information is the second type, determining, by the vehicle terminal, that the data format of the detection information is a format 4. determining, by a vehicle terminal, a data format of detection information, wherein the detection information is associated with a map element; sending, by the vehicle terminal, the detection information of the vehicle terminal to a first network device based on the data format; and receiving (S05, S09, S13), by the vehicle terminal, map element change information sent by the first network device or a second network device; characterized in that the determining, by the vehicle terminal, the data format of detection information is based on a map element type corresponding to the detection information; and wherein the determining, by the vehicle terminal, the data format of the detection information based on the map element type corresponding to the detection information comprises: the map element type corresponding to the detection information comprises a first type and a second type, and when the map element type corresponding to the detection information is the first type, determining, by the vehicle terminal, that the data format of the detection information is a format 1, a format 2, or a format 3; or when the map element type corresponding to the detection information is the second type, determining, by the vehicle terminal, that the data format of the detection information is a format 4. the map element type corresponding to the detection information comprises a first type and a second type, and when the map element type corresponding to the detection information is the first type, determining, by the vehicle terminal, that the data format of the detection information is a format 1, a format 2, or a format 3; or when the map element type corresponding to the detection information is the second type, determining, by the vehicle terminal, that the data format of the detection information is a format 4.