CLEVELAND, Ohio—Hyundai Translead announced the launch of HT LinkSense, an open platform smart trailer system that can be integrated with several telematics providers (CalAmp, ORBCOMM, Phillips Connect, PowerFleet, Road Ready, Sensata | Xirgo, SkyBitz, Spireon). The company made the announcement during the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council 2021 Fall Meeting.
According to Sean Kenney, chief sales officer at Hyundai Translead, the system provides a fully integrated solution to track and monitor real-time trailer performance data.
“Sensor capability is quickly maturing and moving at a record pace, but if you talk to fleets you’ll find out they’re a little hesitant to invest,” Kenney said during TMC. “Understanding, integration into their business, ROI models, etc., are all very difficult to assess. Even beyond that, they’re put off by the complexity of integration—how do you fix it, how do we service it, what about aftermarket? All of those things come into play.”
The biggest challenge, he added, is that fleets have no standard protocol to follow.
“Everybody wants to own the data, so they all have their own data system and gateway—that’s fine—but what is a fleet to do,” Kenney pointed out. “Are they supposed to put four different gateways on the nose of their trailer and put four data plans on a trailer? It’s a big put-off for them.”
HT LinkSense, he said, was invented to align new sensing technology in a common language, while leveraging a fleet’s current telematics investment. The idea behind HT LinkSense was to create a universal remote and an ecosystem where various sensors can speak with one another and pass information through a known gateway that is already on the equipment.
Through HT LinkSense, Hyundai Translead and its telematics partners offer the following trailer health and utilization insights:
- Cargo volume sensor: Cargo volume sensors use ultrasonic technology to provide estimated cargo volume, dividing the trailer into five different zones to report overall volume and help improve utilization.
- Weight sensor: Weight scale sensors report weight on both air and spring suspensions.
- Door sensor: Door sensors detect the opening and closing of doors, offering real-time and time-logged monitoring for increased cargo security.
- Air disc brake pad wear sensor: Continuous wear sensors monitor the amount of remaining brake pad in real-time.
- Smart brake chamber: A smart brake chamber monitors the air pressure in the parking and service brake line on each brake chamber, analyzing patterns for problems like dragging.
- Light-out detection sensor: Light-out detection sensors reduce the risk of fines or citations.
- Wheel end temperature sensor: Wheel end temperature sensors detect temperatures higher than the set limit, sending a warning to the driver and fleet service manager for prompt inspection and repair.
- Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS): TPMS measures the tire pressure and temperature on each wheel, preventing sudden failures.
According to the company, continuous operation will be supported by an optional solar and battery power system. Initially, the HT LinkSense solution will be available for Hyundai Translead dry van trailers and will expand into refrigerated, flatbed, chassis, and aftermarket products in the future.
