A system for communicating data between a vehicle and a ground system, the system comprising: a vehicle bus multiplexer on the vehicle to receive the data (1110a, 1110b, 1110c) via a plurality of vehicle data buses from an onboard system on the vehicle, and to multiplex the data (1110a, 1110b, 1110c) into at least one data path of a multi-use power interface; the multi-use power interface to transmit via the at least one data path the data (1110a, 1110b, 1110c) from the vehicle bus multiplexer to a ground bus multiplexer associated with the ground system; and the ground bus multiplexer to demultiplex the data (1110a, 1110b, 1110c) from the at least one data path of the multi-use power interface into a plurality of ground data buses associated with the ground system, and to transmit the data (1110a, 1110b, 1110c) via the plurality of ground data buses to the ground system, wherein at least one of the vehicle data buses and ground data buses comprises an optical bus, wherein the multi-use power interface includes at least a first connector having a plurality of pins (210a, 210b, 210, 220, 230a, 230b; 510a) and at least a second connector mating with the first connector and having a plurality of corresponding sockets (320; 520) mating with said pins, wherein each pin (210a, 210b, 210, 220, 230a, 230b; 510a) include a power portion (280a, 280b, 280c, 280d, 280e, 280f; 580a) constituted by an outer conductive portion comprising an electrical conductive material such as a metal and an optical portion (240a, 240b, 240c, 240d, 240e, 240f; 540a) which comprises at least one optical fiber or a fiber optic cable (330, 530), the optical portion (240a, 240b, 240c, 240d, 240e, 240f; 540a) extending within and being coextensive with an end of the power portion (280a, 280b, 280c, 280d, 280e, 280f; 580a) of the pin (210a, 210b, 210, 220, 230a, 230b; 510a), and wherein a lens (350, 550) is mounted on an end of the fiber optic cable (330, 530) spreading a beam (351, 551) of an optical signal radiating out from the optical portion (240a, 240b, 240c, 240d, 240e, 240f; 540a) of the pin (210a, 210b, 210, 220, 230a, 230b; 510a), the spreading of the beam (351, 551) allowing for sloppiness in the mating of the pin (210a, 210b, 210, 220, 230a, 230b; 510a) of the first connector of the multi-use power interface with the socket (320; 520) of the second connector. a vehicle bus multiplexer on the vehicle to receive the data (1110a, 1110b, 1110c) via a plurality of vehicle data buses from an onboard system on the vehicle, and to multiplex the data (1110a, 1110b, 1110c) into at least one data path of a multi-use power interface; the multi-use power interface to transmit via the at least one data path the data (1110a, 1110b, 1110c) from the vehicle bus multiplexer to a ground bus multiplexer associated with the ground system; and the ground bus multiplexer to demultiplex the data (1110a, 1110b, 1110c) from the at least one data path of the multi-use power interface into a plurality of ground data buses associated with the ground system, and to transmit the data (1110a, 1110b, 1110c) via the plurality of ground data buses to the ground system, wherein at least one of the vehicle data buses and ground data buses comprises an optical bus, wherein the multi-use power interface includes at least a first connector having a plurality of pins (210a, 210b, 210, 220, 230a, 230b; 510a) and at least a second connector mating with the first connector and having a plurality of corresponding sockets (320; 520) mating with said pins, wherein each pin (210a, 210b, 210, 220, 230a, 230b; 510a) include a power portion (280a, 280b, 280c, 280d, 280e, 280f; 580a) constituted by an outer conductive portion comprising an electrical conductive material such as a metal and an optical portion (240a, 240b, 240c, 240d, 240e, 240f; 540a) which comprises at least one optical fiber or a fiber optic cable (330, 530), the optical portion (240a, 240b, 240c, 240d, 240e, 240f; 540a) extending within and being coextensive with an end of the power portion (280a, 280b, 280c, 280d, 280e, 280f; 580a) of the pin (210a, 210b, 210, 220, 230a, 230b; 510a), and wherein a lens (350, 550) is mounted on an end of the fiber optic cable (330, 530) spreading a beam (351, 551) of an optical signal radiating out from the optical portion (240a, 240b, 240c, 240d, 240e, 240f; 540a) of the pin (210a, 210b, 210, 220, 230a, 230b; 510a), the spreading of the beam (351, 551) allowing for sloppiness in the mating of the pin (210a, 210b, 210, 220, 230a, 230b; 510a) of the first connector of the multi-use power interface with the socket (320; 520) of the second connector.