ORBCOMM recently launched a wireless Tractor ID sensor, which is designed to enable trailer pairing confirmation for improved driver and operational efficiency.
The latest innovation in the company’s smart truck solution is focused on bringing total tractor to trailer intelligence for enhanced visibility, efficiency, safety, and experience to fleets, drivers and their customers, ORBCOMM said.
The Tractor ID sensor’s advanced Bluetooth and radar filtering technology ensures the tractor will connect to the desired trailer, while filtering out nearby trailers that could otherwise lead to inaccurate pairings. The sensor immediately determines a correct or incorrect tractor-trailer pairing, the beginning or ending of moves, and trailer connects or disconnects. When the driver connects to a trailer, an automated notification is sent through the integrated ORBCOMM platform to the customer’s dispatch system to validate the proper trailer connection before the driver leaves the yard. The ruggedized peripheral contains a built-in battery designed to last seven-plus years, ensuring continuous usage without requiring an external power source, and saves power by remaining latent until it finds a unit to connect to, the company said.
Currently, ORBCOMM’s sensor integrates exclusively with its solar-powered telematics device, the GT 1200 series, to improve fleet visibility, monitoring, and management. With this enhancement to ORBCOMM’s smart truck portfolio, transportation customers can leverage a complete, nose-to-tail solution to gain deep data insights, keep drivers safe and streamline operations.
“We’re excited to bring a unique and innovative approach to solving the tractor pairing problem for transportation customers with our new wireless Tractor ID sensor,” said Gregg Plonisch, ORBCOMM’s vice president of product management. “This sensor is a significant enhancement to our smart truck solution, which combines advanced telematics, analytics, and connectivity to create a complete smart truck solution that offers optimal insight into the fleet’s entire operations through one integrated platform.”
