Special Coverage

 

 

Hyundai Translead Launches HT LinkSense

The New Product Is a Smart Trailer System
Hyundai
Hyundai Translead Chief Sales Officer Sean Kenney speaks at the press event. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)

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CLEVELAND — Trailer maker Hyundai Translead unveiled a smart trailer system called HT LinkSense, which is intended to provide connectivity for all sensor and telematics providers.

The San Diego-based company said HT LinkSense, which it spotlighted during a Sept. 14 press event at American Trucking Associations’ 2021 Technology & Maintenance Council Fall Meeting & Transportation Technology Exhibition, is available as a factory installation.

Initially, HT LinkSense will be offered on Hyundai Translead dry van trailers, and later will expand into refrigerated, flatbed, chassis and aftermarket products. Its continuous operation will be supported by an optional solar and battery power system.



Hyundai Translead Chief Sales Officer Sean Kenney said sensor capability is quickly maturing.

“We have talked to customer after customer after customer who tell us they love sensing technology,” Kenney said. “They are interested in it. All around this TMC exhibit hall you’ll find sensing, sensing, sensing. I think, because of that, the time is now for this product.”

More than anything, the biggest challenge to widespread fleet adoption is the lack of a standard or protocol, he said. “What is a fleet to do? Are they supposed to put four different gateways on the nose of their trailer and have four data plans on a trailer? It’s a big put-off for them and it is a real challenging thing.”

HT LinkSense — a scalable, open platform — was developed to align new sensing technology in a common language and leverage the fleets’ already sunk costs in telematics, he said. “The open architecture of the product means it is made to be future proof.”

HT LinkSense is launching with a baseline of sensors, and has been designed “to meet you where you are,” Kenney added. “Just because you can get data doesn’t mean you should. Sensors can be added. So can more energy storage. Whatever the customer needs, they can just add to their equipment as they begin to prove out the return on investment.”

He said the cost of system would range from $2,000 to $4,500, depending on its features. He suggested the return on investment was not fixed. “It depends on the sensors and the customer’s ability to act on the information.”

With real-time sensors and the data they generate, customers gain visibility into their trailer health and utilization, including:

  • Cargo volume sensor to provide estimated cargo volume.
  • Weight sensor on air or spring suspensions.
  • Door sensor to detect openings and closings.
  • Air disc brake pad wear sensor to monitor the amount of remaining brake pad.
  • Smart brake chamber to monitor the air pressure in the parking and service brake line on each brake chamber.
  • Light out detection sensor.
  • Wheel end temperature sensor to detect temperatures higher than the set limit.
  • Tire pressure monitoring system to measure the tire pressure and temperature on each wheel.

“HT LinkSense marks the next evolution in fleet data strategy. It is truly the future of connectivity,” Bong Jae Lee, Hyundai Translead’s CEO, said in a release. “We’re thrilled to make this system available to our customers and proud to offer it with the full support of all our partners.”

The company said its system is fully integrated with other partners’ sensor and data management packages, including those from CalAmp, Orbcomm, Phillips Connect, PowerFleet, Road Ready, Sensata|Xirgo, SkyBitz and Spireon.

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