Vehicle Telematics May Help Reduce Traffic Accidents

Recent advancements in telematics have allowed vehicle manufacturers to catapult their products into science fiction-like quality. Experts believe in the near future we will see such technology as self-driving automobiles, automatic car rental systems and theft protection so advanced it will be virtually impossible to steal a vehicle and dismantle it for parts.

Vehicle telematics are already being applied in ways the average American driver might never guess: collecting road tolls, pricing auto insurance and tracking fleet vehicle locations. Additional applications include recovering stolen vehicles, providing auto collision notification and location-driven driver information services (in particular, dedicated short range communications or DSRC). Then, there are early warning notification alerts, remote diagnostics and on-demand navigation. The list of ways in which telematics are utilized just goes on and on.

Many scholars believe this kind of technology will be increasingly applied to road safety and, thus, one of its main applications beyond entertainment, convenience and repair systems. Because of telematics' ability to make possible the interchanging of electronic data between previously unconnected devices, it may play an important role in reducing - someday even eliminating - injuries and deaths related to traffic accidents. Gadgets like connectivity devices and advanced Global Positioning Systems (GPS) extend beyond their convenience value; they are, essentially, beginning the application of research that may eventually save lives.

Short range wireless connectivity protocols have transformed the business community, but for those who want to stay connected during commutes, there's more than just that option nowadays. Connectivity devices produced by specific manufacturers now connect not only to hands-free telephone equipment but also to music players, smart phones, handhelds and music phones. For the slightly more demanding business consumer, in-vehicle, high-value satellite modems link up with two-way satellite modems designed for use with low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks, enabling remote asset tracking and global monitoring. Leaving a small footprint, these satellite modems were developed for the Machine-To-Machine (M2M) market and "modem only" applications.

Telematics modules may satisfy the consumer craving more enhanced in-vehicle connectivity and safety. Such modules integrate phone capabilities, global positioning satellite receivers and digital signal processing to enable communication between vehicles and response centers. By accessing a vehicle's data bus, the response center can provide navigation assistance, remote diagnostics, remote door lock/unlock, and other services for better safety and security. The GPS can provide vehicle location identification, enabling a stolen vehicle to be tracked and emergency services to be accessed quickly. Collision detection and call center notification provide an added buffer of safety, and such systems can even be customized to specific vehicle architectures.

For the growing number of those in the business community who need higher-tech options to stay competitive, in-vehicle high-value telematics systems are available. High-value systems offer two-way satellite modems for communication over LEO satellite networks and a complete hardware solution to track, monitor and communicate with fixed and mobile assets around the world. Such systems may also offer bay compartments that allow for custom-specific hardware to meet those businesses' individual marketing requirements. They are weatherproof, radio frequency (RF) visible and allow for the addition of wireless capabilities-a huge advantage in communications. Those in the transportation, heavy equipment, marine, aeronautical and other M2M markets stand to gain the most advantage with high-value telematics systems.

Computers can respond to a situation in approximately 0.3 seconds, as opposed to the human reaction time of one-half to one full second, according to a prominent researcher. If these sorts of telematics can be integrated into automobile systems to not only keep people connected, but to also help them avoid deadly traffic accidents, then society may be well on its way to living up to science-fiction standards.