Phillips Connect debuts new trailer safeguards

Phillips Connect recently released two new SmartLock products designed to safeguard trailer loads.

Trailers and their contents are valuable assets to the fleet that is assigned to move them, as well as to the shipper and receiver. SmartLock products ensure that only authorized persons can move or unload the trailer they are attached to, according to Phillips Connect. Both are activated or deactivated by a digitally authenticated command completely controlled via Bluetooth LE communication interface.

The SmartLock Gladhand prevents any unauthorized movement or towing of any asset requiring a pneumatic gladhand connection. The locking pin that prevents air to the gladhand can only be activated or deactivated with the digital command. It is powered by an integrated non-rechargeable battery pack and requires no external electrical connection. The SmartLock Gladhand can be used on either the Red (emergency) line or the Blue (service) line.

The SmartLock Door is a stand-alone device that replaces the standard seal and can be installed in five minutes, the company said. With the SmartLock Door attached, the trailer door can only be unlocked using the digital command by fleet dispatch personnel, an authorized person at the receiving location, or it can be set to automatically unlock when entering the yard by leveraging the Connect1 platform. High-value trailer loads and the drivers hauling them are at risk throughout their assigned trip. The SmartLock Door device guarantees that the full load is secure from shipper location to customer location.

“Trailers haul valuable commodities that the fleet is responsible for once they pick it up,” said Jim Epler, EVP for Phillips Connect. “And with common carriers pulling trailers that belong to others, there has always been the risk of hooking up to and hauling the wrong unit from a crowded yard. These two pretty simple devices could easily eliminate those risks.”