Digitalization and automation are among the most important development trends in the construction machinery industry. Despite the many individual solutions in these areas, the efficient operation of highly automated construction machines on the basis of mixed fleets requires a holistic view of the construction eco system. In this paper, the different levels of digital communication interfaces are classified in a structured manner and transferred to the current state of the art for construction machines. Relevant communication standards and protocols are presented. In order to address the requirements for connected and automated construction machines, two communication standards are presented that have been developed and validated in the joint research project Bauen4.0.