Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/620628
EquipmentWorld.com | January 2016 39 EW: What is telematics? DS: Think of it as a conduit that takes information from your vehicle or equipment and sends it to a website where you can view it. The word "telematics" is a combination of telecommunications and infor- matics. It is any integrated use of telecommunications with machine information technology. Some people confuse telemat- ics with GPS, but they are not the same. Telematics systems use GPS signals to locate and track your as- sets, but provide much more infor- mation on top of that. A telematics system takes the GPS coordinates from your truck, or machine plus information from that asset's com- puter systems, and sends this data via a cell phone signal or satellite to a website where it can be read by the OEM and/or end user. EW: What are the differences between telematics systems for vehicles (pickup trucks), heavy- duty trucks and off-road equip- ment? DS: There are two options to look at: third-party/aftermarket systems and factory-installed OEM systems. The third party systems for ve- hicles and pickup trucks are simple. You can buy a telematics dongle* for as little as $100. Plug it into the vehicle's OBDII (on-board diag- nostics) port, typically below the dash on the driver's side, sign up for a subscription to the provider's website and you'll be up and run- ning in a matter of minutes. This will give you basic information such as location, engine on, speed and telematics TELEMATICS 101 Let's start with the basics If you're confused by all the tech-speak surrounding the topic of telematics, you're not alone. We asked Dan Samford, CEM, one of the country's leading experts on the subject, to clarify for us what a contractor or fl eet manager needs to know to get started using telematics. Here are his answers. by Tom Jackson and Dan Samford *A dongle is a term computer people use to describe a small device that plugs into your computer or comput- erized system either through a USB port or a multi-pin connector such as those found on an OBDII port.