The term telematics is used in a number of ways:
Vehicle telematics
Vehicle telematics systems may be used for a number of purposes, including collecting road
tolls, managing road usage (intelligent transportation
systems), pricing auto insurance, tracking fleet vehicle locations
(fleet telematics), recovering stolen vehicles, providing automatic collision
notification, location-driven driver information services - and more particularly, dedicated short range communications
DSRC in-vehicle early warning (car
accident prevention) notification alerts.
Vehicle telematics systems are also increasingly being used to provide remote diagnostics; a vehicle's built-in system will
identify a mechanical or electronic problem, and the telematics package can automatically make this information known to the
vehicle manufacturer service organization. The telematics monitored system is also capable of notifying any problems to the owner
of the vehicle via e-mail. Other forthcoming applications include on-demand navigation, audio and audio-visual entertainment
content.
While there are many potential applications for vehicle telematics, the main advantage for transportation safety advocates is
that it will help reduce and ideally eliminate road injuries and road traffic related deaths worldwide [1] [2]
Etymology
The etymology of telematics, as determined by author and academic Dennis Foy, is from the Greek "tele" ('far away',
especially in relation to the process of producing or recording) and ~Matos (a derivative of the Gk machinari, or contrivance,
usually taken in this context to mean 'of its own accord') which combine in the term telematics to offer a means of describing
the process of long-distance transmission of computer-based information.
Telematics - - 1. 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. 2. 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 Systems (ITS) applications.
Practical applications of vehicle telematics
When used in a commercial environment vehicle telematics can potentially be a powerful and valuable tool to improve the
efficiency of an organisation. Some practical applications of vehicle telematics include;
Vehicle tracking
Vehicle tracking is a way of monitoring the location, movements, status and behaviour of a vehicle or fleet of vehicles. This
is achieved through a combination of a GPS(GNSS) receiver and an electronic device (usually comprising a GSM GPRS modem or SMS sender) installed in each vehicle, communicating with the user (dispatching, emergency or
co-ordinating unit) and PC- or web-based software. The data are turned into information by management reporting tools in
conjunction with a visual display on computerised mapping software. Advanced vehicle
localisation system for public transport may employ odometry instead of GPS/GNSS.
Trailer tracking
Trailer tracking is the technology of tracking the movements and position of an articulated vehicle's trailer unit, through
the use of a location unit fitted to the trailer and a method of returning the position data via mobile communication network or
geostationary satellite communications, for use through either PC- or Web-based software.
Satellite navigation
Satellite navigation in the context of vehicle telematics is the technology of using a GPS and electronic mapping tool to
enable the driver of a vehicle to locate a position, then route plan and navigate a journey.
Mobile data and mobile television
Mobile data is use of wireless data communications using radio waves to send and receive real time computer data to, from and
between devices used by field based personnel. These devices can be fitted solely for use while in the vehicle (Fixed Data
Terminal) or for use in and out of the vehicle (Mobile Data Terminal). See mobile
Internet.
Mobile data can be used to receive TV channels and programs, in a similar way to mobile phones, but using LCD TV devices.
Wireless vehicle safety communications
Wireless vehicle safety communications aid in car safety and road safety. It is an electronic sub-system in a car or other
vehicle for the purpose of exchanging safety information, about such things as road hazards and the locations and speeds of
vehicles, over short range radio links. This may involve temporary ad hoc wireless local area networks.
Wireless units will be installed in vehicles and probably also in fixed locations such as near traffic signals and emergency
call boxes along the road. Sensors in the cars and at the fixed locations, as well as possible connections to wider networks,
will provide the information, which will be displayed to the drivers in some way. The range of the radio links can be extended by
forwarding messages along multi-hop paths. Even without fixed units, information about fixed hazards can be maintained by moving
vehicles by passing it backwards. It also seems possible for traffic lights, which one can expect to become smarter, to use this
information to reduce the chance of collisions.
Farther in the future, it may connect directly to cruise control or other vehicle control aids. Cars and trucks with the
wireless system connected to their brakes may move in convoys, to save fuel and space on the roads. When any column member slows
down, all those behind it will automatically slow also. There are also possibilities that need less engineering effort. A radio
beacon could be connected to the brake light, for example.
Emergency warning system for vehicles
Telematics technologies are self-orientating open network architecture structure
of variable programmable intelligent beacons developed for
application in the development of intelligent vehicles - with target intent to accord (blend, or mesh) warning information with
surrounding vehicles in the vicinity of travel, intra-vehicle, and infrastructure. Emergency warning system for vehicles
telematics particularly developed for international harmonisation and standardisation of vehicle-to-vehicle –
infrastructure-to-vehicle – and vehicle-to-infrastructure real-time Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) systems.
Telematics most commonly relate to computerised systems that update information at the same rate as they receive data,
enabling them to direct or control a process such as an instantaneous autonomous warning notification in a remote machine or
group of machines. By use of telematics as applied to intelligent vehicle technologies, instantaneous direction travel cognizance
of a vehicle may be transmitted in real-time to surrounding vehicles traveling in the local area of vehicles equipped (with EWSV)
to receive said warning signals of danger.
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Intelligent vehicle technologies
Telematics comprise electronic, electromechanical, and electromagnetic devices - usually silicon micromachined components
operating in conjunction with computer controlled devices and radio transceivers to provide precision repeatability functions
(such as in robotics artificial intelligence systems) emergency warning validation performance reconstruction.
Intelligent vehicle technologies commonly apply to car safety systems and self-contained autonomous electromechanical sensors
generating warnings that can be transmitted within a specified targeted area of interest, say within 100 meters of the emergency
warning system for vehicles transceiver. In ground applications, intelligent vehicle technologies are utilized for safety and
commercial communications between vehicles or between a vehicle and a sensor along the road.
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Auto insurance
See also PAYD and Auto insurance risk
selection
The basic idea of telematic auto insurance is that a driver's behavior is monitored
directly while the person drives and this information is transmitted to an insurance company. The insurance company then assesses
the risk of that driver having an accident and charges insurance premiums accordingly. A driver who drives long distance at high
speed, for example, will be charged a higher rate than a driver who drives short distances at slower speeds.
Telematic auto insurance was independently invented and patented [1]by a major U.S. auto insurance company, Progressive Auto
Insurance U.S. Patent and a Spanish independent inventor, Salvador Minguijon Perez (European Patent EP0700009B1). The Progressive patents cover the use of a cell phone and
GPS to track movements of a car. The Perez patents cover monitoring the car's engine control
computer to determine distance driven, speed, time of day, braking force, etc. Ironically, Progressive is developing the
Perez technology in the US and European auto insurer Norwich Union is developing the
Progressive technology for Europe.
Trials conducted by Norwich Union in 2005 have found that young drivers (18 to 23 year olds) signing up for telematic auto
insurance have had a 20% lower accident rate than average. [3]
Recent theoretical economic research on the social welfare effects of Progressive's telematics technology business process
patents have questioned whether the business process patents are pareto efficent for society. Premliminary results suggest that
it is not, but more work is needed. [2] [3]
References
- ^ Nowotarski, Mark, "Progressive Builds a Fortress of Patent Protection", Insurance IP
Bulletin, October 15, 2004
- ^ Strauss and Hollis, 2007, Insurance Markets When Firms are Assymetrically Informed: A Note
(HTML).
- ^ Hollis and
Strauss, 2007, Privacy, Driving Data and Automobile Insurance: An Economic Analysis (HTML).
- Matthew Wright, Editor, UK Telematics Online [4]
- IEEE Communications Magazine, April 2005, "Ad Hoc Peer-to-Peer Network Architecture for Vehicle Safety Communications"
- IEEE Communications Magazine, April 2005, "The Application-Based Clustering Concept and Requirements for Intervehicle
Networks"
- Jerzy Mikulski, Editor, "Advances in Transport Systems Telematics". Monograph. Publisher Jacek Skalmierski Computer Studio.
Katowice 2006. ISBN 83-917156-4-7
See also
External links
Telematics research
Telematics news, information, tips & advice
Telematics education
Conferences and Workshops
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