What is Telematics anyway?

In short:
Telematics=Telecommunications and Informatics

• Definition in a broader sense:
  An area within informatics that deals with data communications using technical means over ("longer") distances.
• Meyers Lexikon: Coupling of informatics and telecommunications/-science
• Brockhaus encyclopedia: research area that is a synthesis of telecommunications and informatics

Often used in a more specific sense:
Telematics=public information services for private and business use, e.g. transportation telematics=telematics in traffic systems (computer and communications supported traffic management systems) or telematics in health care (e.g. remote diagnosis, automatic emergency calls coupled with monitoring of vital functions)