Technology

Hendrickson to launch trailer wheel-end sensor technology

Sept. 14, 2021

The Watchman, developed by Sensata Technologies, will offer trailer tire pressure and wheel-end temperature data that is communicated to the fleet through the trailer telematics system.

Hendrickson Trailer Commercial Vehicle Systems moves forward with launch plans for Watchman, a wheel-end sensor technology designed for trailers that operate on the vehicle area network developed by Sensata Technologies. The initial product offering will include trailer tire pressure and wheel-end temperature data that is communicated to the fleet via the trailer telematics system.

Hendrickson worked with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) to utilize industry standards according to established J1939 protocol, for the communication of data and fault codes for trailer wheel-end information.

“This common platform allows Hendrickson’s Watchman wheel-end sensor to be used by OEMs to provide crucial trailer data to their customers,” Omar Fernandez, director of marketing at Hendrickson, said.

Tire pressure monitoring, coupled with the inflating, relieving, and equalizing capabilities of Tiremaxx Pro and Pro-LB, helps fleets minimize tire wear and maximize fuel economy by managing trailer tire pressures. The Watchman system has been uniquely designed to seamlessly integrate into Tiremaxx.

According to Hendrickson, early warnings of low tire pressure or leakage and/or elevated temperatures can help minimize the cost of repairs and maintenance of crucial wheel-end components. The hubcap-mounted, battery-powered wheel-end sensors transmit wireless RF signals to the gateway module, collecting the data and acting as the trailer’s communication hub. The information will be transmitted from the gateway module to the trailer telematics device for transmission to the fleet’s back office.

Hendrickson is working with industry-leading telematics providers to integrate data from the Watchman wheel-end sensor into their telematic solutions, to provide timely and actionable data for enhanced fleet efficiency and uptime.

Watchman wheel-end sensor technology will be an available option on Tiremaxx Pro and Pro-LB tire pressure control systems and is scheduled to launch in early 2022.