What is Telematics?

Telematics is a term that combines the words telecommunications and informatics to broadly describe the integrated use of communications and information technology to transmit, store and receive information from telecommunications devices to remote objects over a network.

If you want to know what is Telematics, it is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses telecommunications, vehicular technologies, for instance, road transportation, road safety, electrical engineering (sensors, instrumentation, wireless communications, etc.), and computer science (multimedia, Internet, etc.). Telematics can involve any of the following.

The technology of sending, receiving and storing information using telecommunication devices to control remote objects. The integrated use of telecommunications and informatics for application in vehicles and to control vehicles on the move. Global navigation satellite system technology integrated with computers and mobile communications technology in automotive navigation systems the use of such systems within road vehicles, also called vehicle

Telematics is a translation of the French word télématique which was first coined by Simon Nora and Alain Minc in a 1978 report to the French government on the computerization of society. It referred to the transfer of information over telecommunications and was a portmanteau blending the French words télécommunications (“telecommunications”) and informatique (“computing science”). The original broad meaning of telematics continues to be used in academic fields but in commerce it now generally means vehicle telematics.

The convergence of telecommunications and information processing, the term later evolved to refer to automation in automobiles, such as the invention of the emergency warning system for vehicles. GPS navigation, integrated hands-free cell phones, wireless safety communications and automatic driving assistance systems all are covered under the telematics umbrella. The science of telecommunications and informatics applied in wireless technologies and computational systems. 802.11p, the IEEE standard in the 802.11 family and also referred to as Wireless Access for the Vehicular Environment (WAVE), is the primary standard that addresses and enhances Intelligent Transportation System. Telematics is a method of monitoring an asset (car, truck, heavy equipment, or even ship) by using GPS and onboard diagnostics to record movements on a computerized map. Learn the answer to “What is telematics?” and read how it’s used in this blog post.

Imagine a highly intelligent computer in your vehicle that is able to report on nearly every detail — from speed and idling, to fuel use, low tire pressure, and more. This information can mean saving on maintenance costs by better monitoring vehicles or improving fuel efficiency by learning more about driving habits. All of this describes the universe of telematics, also known as GPS fleet tracking.

To track assets, information from the vehicle is recorded via a small, telematics device. also called a black box. that plugs into the OBD II or CAN-BUS port. A SIM card and modem in the device enables communication on the cellular network

There are several key components of a telematics device:

1. GPS Receiver
2. Engine Interface
3. Input/Output Interface (Expander Port)
4. SIM Card
5. Accelerometer
6. Buzzer

In addition to the hardware, the algorithm used for GPS logging is another critical factor because it impacts the quality and accuracy of the data.

Data collected by the telematics device, like the GPS position and speed of the vehicle, and even the g-force measured by the built-in accelerometer, are sent in a packaged format to a data center. The data then gets decoded. A vast amount of data can be collected via the telematics device and other connected hardware or sensors, such as position, speed, trip distance/time, idling, harsh braking and driving, seat belt, fuel consumption, vehicle faults, battery voltage, and other engine data.

This information and data are stored in the cloud and brought into a fleet management software system, accessible from a desktop computer or a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet. Using the software, users are able to view and export reports and gain business intelligence such as the top 10 drivers with the highest number of speeding incidents or vehicles that are due for scheduled maintenance.

Telematics data is sent from the vehicle to a fleet management software portal. As technology has evolved, telematics has moved from a closed system to open platform. An open- source platform telematics system is capable of integrating with other types of hardware accessories, software, and mobile apps to provide added insight into business operations.

The variety of related applications for telematics includes implementation, integrations with dispatching and mobile forms, to driver cameras, sand spreader trackers, weather alerts. Electronic logging (ELDs) for recording Hours of Service in trucking. See the infographic below for an overview of how businesses use telematics. The growing number of Telematics related applications has led to the increased adoption of commercial telematics as reported by Market Research Reports Search Engine, which values the global commercial telematics market at over $14 billion (2016).

If you want to know more about what is Telematics , The term “telematics” comes from a blend of telecommunication and informatics sciences. These two sciences formally merged back in the 1960s, when the U.S. Department of Defence developed GPS systems to track U.S. asset movements and improve communication on the battlefield. Telematics consists of three interdependent breakthroughs of modern technology from this research and development: Internet, GPS, and machine-to-machine communication (M2M).

Combining telecommunications and information processing, telematics was later used to refer to automation in vehicles. Wireless safety communications, GPS navigation, integrated hands-free cell phones, and automatic driving assistance systems are all components covered by vehicle telematics.

Any type of small business to large corporation, non-profit organization and any government agency operating vehicles or other assets can benefit from fleet management.

Industries using fleet tracking technology (Sample list) :

1. Courier and delivery companies
2. Field sales and other services such as HVAC, plumbing, etc
3. Towing companies
4. Trucking and transportation logistics
5. Construction businesses
6. Food and beverage companies
7. Transit fleets, such as motor coach, public transit, taxi, and paratransit
8. Oil, gas, and mining industries

Utilities :

1. Police and emergency organizations
2. Other public agencies
3. Landscaping businesses
4. Waste management fleets
5. Fuel consumption
6. Emergency Call