Telematics - Definition, Tools, Applications and Examples

What is Telematics?

Telematics is a combination of two technologies which include telecommunications and informatics. Telecommunications includes phone lines and cables while computer systems are included in informatics. The telematics technology is used in commercial fleet vehicles. The data is transmitted during the vehicle movement with the help of wireless telematics devices and black box technologies. The data that is transmitted include ?

• Usage of the vehicle
• Maintenance
• Servicing

Fleet management can also be performed with the help of telematics. The technology can be used to get the knowledge of vehicles in the entire fleet related to their health, productivity, and profitability.

Types of Telematics Systems

Telematics systems are of the following types -

• OBD II Telematics Systems
• Bluetooth Powered Telematics Systems
• Smartphone-Based Telematics Systems
• Black box Telematics Systems
• OEM Hard-Wired Telematics Systems
• 12v Plug-In Self-Installation Telematics Systems

OBD II Telematics Systems

OBD II Telematics Systems have the ability of providing information regarding driving directly to the mobile. The system is available at a reasonable price and data can be transferred easily over mobile networks. This telematics can be easily integrated with a smartphone so that driver interaction can be Improved.

Bluetooth-Powered Telematics System

These are the telematics systems which transfer data with the help of Bluetooth. The data is transferred to a black box or a mobile. These tools can be installed on the center console of a vehicle and data can be transmitted through Bluetooth.

Smartphone-Based Telematics Systems

Smartphones are the devices which are being used by almost everybody all around the world. A smartphone-based driver assistance device can be used by drivers to send the required information to the insurer. There is no need of setup. The insurers consider the rate on the basis of the ways a driver drives a car.

Black Box Telematics System

Black Box uses cell phone connectivity to transmit information from the vehicles. The black box has to be installed in the vehicle for collecting and transmitting the required information. The black box is installed for the cars in those areas where the chances of car theft are prevalent. This helps in the recovery of the stolen vehicles easily.

OEM Hard-Wired Telematics Systems

This is a type of telematics system which can be used to transfer data directly with the help of inbuilt sensors. No setup is required for using these machines. The data is generated by this system is reliable. Driver assistance capabilities are also available.

12v plug-in self-installation telematics systems

This is a system which has to be connected to a 12v socket in a car or any other vehicle. These systems are self-installed. These devices have the ability to generate reliable information. A technician is required to set up the security of these devices.

How does Telematics work?

There are four steps involved in the working of Telematics. These steps are ?

• Data collection
• Data storage
• Data transmission
• Fleet management software

Data Collection

Various devices are used to collect data from a vehicle. These devices are

• Sensors ? These devices have to gather data on the basis of driving behavior. This data includes harsh breaking, aggressive driving, and many more.
• Engine Data ? Engine data consists of the efficiency of fuel and the ways to maintain it. This process helps in fleet management.
• GPS ? The data collected by GPS is based on the location of the vehicle or fleet. The speed of the vehicle can be determined through the GPS.

Data Storage

The collected data is sent to the telematics device which is connected to the vehicle. The data is temporarily stored in a receiver and then it is transmitted.

Data Transmission

Black box is available in the vehicle which is used to transmit data to secure centralized servers through different networks. Data transmission can be done through satellite networks, GPRS, and cellular networks. The receiving servers collect the data and process it so that it can be used further. This data is then sent to the fleet management software.

Fleet Management Software

The receiving server transmits the data to the fleet management software after optimization. This data is translated for fleet operators for easy understanding. The fleet management software has the ability to perform various actions as per the requirements of a team or a company.

Applications of Telematics

There are many uses of Telematics and some of them are discussed here.

Safety Monitoring

Vehicle telematics helps in knowing the ways a driver drives a vehicle. Data collected from such vehicles can be used for training. Trainers can use the data to train the trainees for harsh braking, accelerating, etc. They can also train the drivers for driving safely on roads.

Communication

Drivers can use the software installed on their vehicle to test its efficiency. If drivers have to send any notification regarding risks, anomalies, etc. to the operators, they can use the software to do so.

Detection of Acceleration and Braking

Companies can check whether their drivers are driving their vehicles safely or not with the help of telematics. When the acceleration is increased the data is sent to the company. The data is also sent when harsh braking is done. This data can be shared with the drivers to let them know that they have to take more care while driving.

Vehicle Maintenance

Telematics can be used to plan the maintenance of the fleet or vehicles. It can monitor the working of the engine and also keeps a record of servicing of the vehicles. Automatic maintenance can also be scheduled.

Fuel Consumption

Telematics can be used to see the leakage of fuel so that the issue can be eliminated and fuel can be saved. Telematics can also be used to decide the best route for a destination. It will help in improving fuel efficiency and drivers can change the route if they find problems like traffic jams, accidents, etc. on the route.

Telematics Examples in the Real World

There are many examples of the usage of telematics and we will discuss some of them here.

Vehicles Tracking

A combination of GPS satellites and receivers, cloud computing, and cellular networks can be used to track the location of a vehicle. The data from the GPS satellites is downloaded by the GPS receivers. This data is sent to a GPS application like Find My Car for processing. The transmission of data can also be done with the help of cellular networks. In this case, the data is transferred to the web servers. The staff uses the data and sends it to a new driver to perform the task.

Trailer Tracking

Trailers are the vehicles that are used to carry assets. GPS trackers can be added to the assets so that none of them are missed during transportation. These GPS trackers can also be attached to the trailers to track their locations. Managers can also use the system to know whether any asset or trailer is being moved without any authorization.

Improvement in Maintenance

Fleet telematics can be used to improve the quality of maintenance of vehicles. Fleet telematics tells about the number of hours a vehicle is used and then preventive maintenance is scheduled accordingly. The expenses of servicing can be decreased and the vehicles can operate safely for a long time.

Safety Tracking

Fleet managers can use telematics technology to keep track of the speed of the vehicle and its location. Besides these, usage of seat belts and harsh driving can also be tracked. Telematics provides information about everything related to a vehicle.

Insurance Risk Assessment

Telematics can be used by the insurance companies to track the behavior of the drivers. This will help the companies in deciding the premium on the basis of different types of risks. Insurance companies will also get information on the usage of the vehicles in geofence.

Benefits of Telematics

Telematics has many benefits and some of them are listed below ?

• GPS tells the shortest to the destination which helps in improving efficiency and productivity
• Smart and short distance reduces the usage of fuel which results in cost reduction
• Payroll management can be automated
• Issues related to a vehicle can be determined remotely through telematics which makes maintenance of the vehicle easily
• Telematics helps in providing better services to customers
• The safety of drivers can be enhanced through telematics
• Communication between drivers and office staff is easy
• Job satisfaction of drivers is increased
• Expenses can be easily controlled

Conclusion

Telematics is a technology which is used to show the best and shortest routes to drivers to reach the destination. Telematics system is of many types and users can use the one suitable for their vehicle or fleet. Telematics uses, GPS, GPRS, or cellular networks for working. A GPS application has to be installed in the car so that proper communication can be established. It can be used for the automation of the payroll management and tell the shortest route to the destination.

Telematics FAQs

1. What is Vehicle Telematics System?

Different types of telematics devices are used in the vehicle telematics system. These devices are used for tracking various aspects of a vehicle like speed, fuel consumption, distance covered, etc. Wireless networks are used to establish communication between telematics providers and drivers. The data is transmitted between the telematics provider and drivers through the telecommunications companies.

2. What is the process of working of the telematics system?

The telematics device installed in a vehicle transmits data which is collected and sent to a fleet management software application. This software visualizes the data and then generates different types of reports.

3. What types of benefits can telematics provide to a business?

Telematics system provides different types of benefits to a business like improvement in fleet efficiency, fuel cost reduction, remote maintenance, etc.

4. What are the uses of vehicle telematics systems?

The usage of the telematics system is listed below ?

• Tracking the vehicle
• Tracking trailers and containers
• Easy communication
• Fast report generation
• Emergency warning systems
• Insurance

5. Which types of businesses are benefitted from telematics systems?

The businesses that are benefitted from the telematics system include ?

• Transportation
• Logistics
• Construction
• Agriculture
• Delivery services