A telematics control system for use in a vehicle and operable during a logistics stage of the vehicle from manufacture of the vehicle up to a time where the vehicle is ready to be used by an end user, the system being operable during the logistics stage of the vehicle to determine whether to transmit vehicle data to off-board the vehicle , the vehicle including a vehicle battery and one or more vehicle sensors , and the system comprising: an input arranged to receive vehicle data from at least one of the on-board vehicle sensors ; a processor arranged to determine whether the vehicle battery is operably connected to the system ; and an output arranged to transmit a wireless communications message indicative of the received vehicle data to off-board the vehicle ; a system battery , wherein the system battery is arranged to power the system when the vehicle battery is not operably connected to the system ; wherein the system includes a logistics activated mode in which it is operable to transmit communications messages and a logistics quiet mode in which it draws no power from the vehicle battery , and wherein, during the logistics stage, the processor is operable to switch from the logistics quiet mode to the logistics activated mode when it determines that the vehicle battery is operably connected to the system in the event that an ignition of the vehicle has been switched on, and in the logistics activated mode to send the communications message from the output to a logistics management system and/or a logistics service provider, so as to transmit vehicle data to off-board the vehicle ; and wherein the system is arranged to operate in the logistics activated mode for a predetermined period after it is determined that the vehicle battery is not operably connected to the system , and/or after it is determined that the vehicle battery is not operably connected to the system, operate in the logistics activated mode for a period sufficient to ensure establishment of a communications connection. an input arranged to receive vehicle data from at least one of the on-board vehicle sensors ; a processor arranged to determine whether the vehicle battery is operably connected to the system ; and an output arranged to transmit a wireless communications message indicative of the received vehicle data to off-board the vehicle ; a system battery , wherein the system battery is arranged to power the system when the vehicle battery is not operably connected to the system ; wherein the system includes a logistics activated mode in which it is operable to transmit communications messages and a logistics quiet mode in which it draws no power from the vehicle battery , and wherein, during the logistics stage, the processor is operable to switch from the logistics quiet mode to the logistics activated mode when it determines that the vehicle battery is operably connected to the system in the event that an ignition of the vehicle has been switched on, and in the logistics activated mode to send the communications message from the output to a logistics management system and/or a logistics service provider, so as to transmit vehicle data to off-board the vehicle ; and wherein the system is arranged to operate in the logistics activated mode for a predetermined period after it is determined that the vehicle battery is not operably connected to the system , and/or after it is determined that the vehicle battery is not operably connected to the system, operate in the logistics activated mode for a period sufficient to ensure establishment of a communications connection. <EOS>