Picture this: a courier van drops off a bag of groceries at your home.

Behind that seemingly simple delivery is a web of real-time data exchanges - the van's location tracked live, its route dynamically adjusted to avoid traffic, the vehicle's health remotely monitored to pre-empt breakdowns, and the delivery confirmed via a scan that updates inventory systems instantly.

All of this is telematics at work.

From logistics fleets to farm equipment and even cargo vessels at sea, telematics systems form the backbone of any operation that relies on coordination between assets in the field and centralised operations. They enable machines and infrastructure to share data in real time to drive efficiency and facilitate informed decision-making across industries.

But what is it that makes all of this possible? The answer lies in antenna systems.

Why Antenna Design Matters in Telematics

Produced by electronics manufacturers, antennas allow for reliable wireless communication across GNSS, LTE/5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, V2X, LoRa, and satellite, by transmitting and receiving signals with sufficient strength, directionality, and isolation.

Because of this their design directly influences link quality, range, data throughput and overall system resilience. A poorly designed antenna can lead to dropped GNSS signals in urban canyons or weak cellular links in remote areas - compromising navigation accuracy, data sync or real-time alerts.

For example, the telematics tracking a delivery truck may rely on GNSS for turn-by-turn routing and LTE for real-time updates to dispatch. If the antenna's placement doesn't account for the vehicle's structure or surrounding electronics, signal quality can degrade - causing delayed updates, missed delivery confirmations or even route errors. Multiply this across a fleet, and what seems like a minor design flaw quickly becomes a bottleneck for operational efficiency.

For an electronics manufacturing company, effective antenna design must be considered early in the product development cycle, working in tandem with PCBA manufacturing, mechanical layout and enclosure design.

This is especially critical in electronics manufacturing services (EMS) environments, where integration decisions made upstream directly affect time-to-market, compliance readiness and long-term field reliability. All of which leads to the next point of consideration.

Design Challenges in Land-Based Environments

Designing antennas for land-based telematics systems presents a unique set of constraints that extend beyond signal performance on paper. Unlike consumer electronics or stationary equipment, these systems are deployed in physically demanding, electromagnetically noisy, and space-constrained environments.

If not properly accounted for, these factors can degrade antenna performance and cause a whole host of other issues. Below are a few examples of the challenges faced by electronics manufacturers.

Physical constraints

One of the most common challenges faced by engineers, physical constraints include limited internal space within enclosures, proximity to metal surfaces or other antennas and the need to maintain structural integrity in ruggedised housings.

In commercial vehicles, agricultural machinery and construction equipment, available real estate is often limited, with antennas needing to coexist alongside dense PCBs, large batteries, ruggedised enclosures and structural metal components. All of which are not exactly ideal for optimal antenna placement.

This forces installers to compromise on antenna orientation, clearance or ground plane availability which then affect radiation patterns and overall performance.

Electromagnetic interference (EMI)

Electromagnetic interference, or EMI, is a common issue for electronic components - and an increasingly prevalent one in modern telematics systems. As vehicles and industrial machines become more electronically dense, the number of potential EMI sources has grown significantly.

High-speed processors, switching power supplies, inverters, displays and multiple radio modules often operate in close quarters, each generating electromagnetic noise across various frequencies.

This noise can couple into antenna systems through radiation or conduction, degrading signal quality, reducing sensitivity, or causing communication dropouts. For example, LTE or GNSS antennas placed too close to DC-DC converters or a CAN bus line may experience spurious emissions that detune the antenna or elevate the noise floor - making it harder to maintain reliable connections.

The challenge is compounded by the fact that many telematics enclosures must house multiple radios - cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and sometimes V2X - all operating simultaneously. Without careful design, these radios can interfere with one another, leading to cross-talk, desensitisation, or failed coexistence tests.

As a result, EMI mitigation is an essential aspect of antenna and system design. Shielding, grounding, filtering, and PCB layout decisions must all work in concert to protect the RF front-end. This is especially important when working with electronics manufacturing services (EMS) partners, where early collaboration on mechanical and electrical design helps ensure EMC compliance and robust real-world performance.

Environmental Stressors

Beyond electrical and spatial concerns, environmental stressors present another major challenge for antennas in land-based telematics systems. Unlike controlled indoor settings, these devices are often exposed to harsh field conditions for extended periods - requiring robust mechanical and material design to ensure long-term reliability.

Vibration from engines, road conditions, or heavy machinery can loosen connectors, crack solder joints or fatigue flexible PCB traces, particularly in systems without proper mechanical reinforcement or strain relief. Moisture; whether from rain, condensation, or high humidity can seep into poorly sealed enclosures, detune antennas or corrode contact points.

Temperature extremes are also common in outdoor or vehicular environments, with wide thermal cycling causing expansion and contraction that stresses solder joints and affects dielectric properties of antenna substrates.

Together, these factors can reduce antenna efficiency, shift frequency response, or cause intermittent failures that are difficult to diagnose post-deployment. That's why antenna design for land-based telematics requires more than just RF optimisation, it must also account for mechanical durability, ingress protection and material stability under real-world operating conditions.

How Electronics Manufacturers Design Antennas for Better Integration

For land-based telematics systems, where space is limited and environmental stress is high, the right antenna design decisions can make the difference between a reliable product and one that constantly fails in the field.

As a top electronics manufacturing service provider, PCI has identified four key ways in which antennas can be better integrated with land-based telematics systems.

1. Customisation for Specific Enclosures and Use Cases

Antennas can be designed to match the physical and electrical constraints of the final device enclosure. For example, antennas can be tuned to compensate for plastic housings or nearby metal structures that would normally detune a passive antenna.

This level of design customisation makes antennas ideal for compact PCBA manufacturing layouts commonly found in telematics devices. EMS providers with strong electronics manufacturing expertise can help ensure enclosure-level effects are accounted for from the start.

2. Embedded Form Factors for Space-Constrained Designs

Rather than relying on bulky external antennas, antennas can be integrated directly into the PCB or embedded within the product housing. These compact, internally mounted options are ideal for telematics systems installed in tight spaces such as under dashboards, inside control panels or within rugged industrial enclosures.

Embedded designs also reduce exposure to environmental damage, improving system durability and reliability. When aligned with electronics manufacturing services (EMS) processes, these antennas can streamline assembly and reduce system complexity.

3. Pre-Tuned and Band-Specific Configurations

Antennas can be pre-configured for target frequency bands (e.g., GNSS, LTE/5G, V2X), making them easier to integrate without extensive RF tuning during development. This accelerates the rapid prototyping phase and allows engineering teams to focus on system-level optimisation rather than starting from scratch.

Pre-tuned antennas also reduce the risk of performance issues due to housing effects or layout changes - a common cause of delays during certification or field testing. EMS partners familiar with telematics applications can help select or customise antennas that are pre-qualified for target markets and carriers.

4. Improved Coexistence in Multi-Radio Systems

Land-based telematics devices typically include multiple wireless technologies operating in parallel - GNSS, LTE/5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, sometimes even V2X. Antennas can be designed to isolate or coordinate between these radios, using filtering, switching, or pattern steering to minimise interference and maximise throughput.

This improves system stability and reduces the need for excessive shielding or separation, which is especially valuable in compact designs. Working closely with an experienced electronics manufacturing partner ensures these coexistence strategies are implemented correctly during both PCBA manufacturing and final system assembly.

From Concept to Production: How PCI Enables Sophisticated Antenna Integration

As a leading electronics manufacturing service provider, PCI simplifies the integration of antennae with land-based telematics systems through a combination of top-tier expertise and hard-earned experience.

By partnering with PCI Ltd, companies can confidently bring smarter, more connected telematics solutions to market with fewer integration hurdles. Reach out to the team at PCI to learn more about integrated antenna design or our range of extensive services.