Telematics

An IT concept regarding the long-distance transmission of data. Telematics includes anything from GPS systems to navigation systems. In vehicles on the move, telematics refers to the integrated use of telecommunications and informatics that show the vehicles current position on a map.

Telematics is a translation of the French word "télématique" which was first coined by Simon Nora and Alain Minc in 1978 report to the French government on the computerization of society. It referred to the transfer of information over telecommunications and was a merging of the French words "telecommunications" and "informatique". The original broad meaning of telematics continues to be used in academic fields but in commerce it now generally means vehicle telematics. In vehicles on the move, telematics refers to the integrated use of telecommunications and informatics, such as dashboard screens that show the vehicles current position on a map or in centralized tracking applications.