Telematics takes off - Smart-phone technology pushes providers to offer new services

摘要

Remember telematics? The word evokes such services as General Motors Co.'s OnStar: technology that is built into the car and uses live operators to, say, summon an ambulance after a wreck. But smart-phone technology is rapidly changing the very definition of telematics. All it takes is a smart phone to stream a rich menu of applications into the car, ranging from social-media sites to traffic alerts.