Understanding What Vehicle Telematics Is

Are you looking to add vehicle tracking systems to your fleet or vehicle?  If you want to help keep track of your workers and your vehicles you might consider using vehicle tracking systems.  You may know that you have options when it comes to the systems out there, but you might wish you knew a little more before buying into a system.  To help you in that endeavour we are going to look at what Vehicle Telematics is.

Telematics can refer to one of the following:

1. It is an integrated use of telecommunications, in which you can send, receive, and store information on telecommunication devices.
2. More recently, telematics has become part of the GPS system that is integrated on computers and mobile communications for vehicle tracking systems. 
3. To narrow this down further it can also be a term applied to systems within road vehicles, thus vehicle telematics.

Another word for vehicle telematics is automotive telematics.  When the two terms are applied it means a “process of long-distance transmission” via computer related information.  Vehicle telematics can mean emergency warning systems for vehicles, hands free mobile phone usage, GPS navigation, safety communications, and automatic driving assistance systems.  The design uses a wireless system and computers to communicate.

To break this down into lay terms vehicle telematics is a vehicle tracking device that can have one or any of the options stated above.  A vehicle tracking device may relay information to the home depot about location only, but it can also include emergency assistance, route planning, and even automated systems to help the vehicle drive.

There are more practical applications than just vehicle tracking, but this is the most common use of telematics to date.  Vehicle telematics is tracking where a person can monitor the location, movements, status, and behaviour of a vehicle or vehicles.  A combination of GPS, GSM, or GPRS can be used to tracking the vehicle.  GPRS stands for general packet radio system that uses mobile phone towers to send mobile communications rather than satellites like the Global Positioning System (GPS).  The system when installed will relay communication data to the user.  This can be dispatch, emergency, or co-ordinating units within the software system.

The data sent by the vehicle telematics is converted from numbers data into longitude and latitude, as well as other helpful information such as speed, excessive idling and mileage reports.  The data sent is used in conjunction with mapping software so you have an exact picture of where the vehicle is.  You can even zoom in to see the vehicle’s features or zoom out to see the entire fleet.

The vehicle tracking telematics system can have odometry and dead reckoning as complementary devices.  Odometry will help you limit vehicle speed.  For example if the maximum speed you want the vehicle to go is 65 miles per hour you can limit the vehicle to that.  Dead reckoning will shut the vehicle down and turn it off making it incapable for the driver to go anywhere, which helps in stolen vehicle cases.

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