Road Ready, the advanced telematics and smart fleet technology provider from Clarience Technologies, has announced two industry-first solutions for digitally integrating the truck and the trailer for fleets.
Road Ready’s two new solutions, cloud-based application program interface (API) technology and a virtual tether, respectively, provide visibility and data feeds that are unlike anything in the commercial transportation industry today.
Prompted by the digital transformation of the transportation industry, fleets have been seeking a better way for integrating fleet data from both truck and trailer assets. Yet, they all desire this integration for different reasons. With Road Ready, fleets have the flexibility to choose the truck/trailer connectivity option that best fits their needs.
Cloud-Based API Technology Provides a Single View of Overall Fleet Health
The most basic integration of both truck and trailer assets, Road Ready’s cloud-based solution empowers fleets to be able to see data from both asset types in a synthesized single view.
Enabled by Clarience Technologies’ acquisition of Fleetilla late in the first quarter of 2022, Road Ready is utilizing the Fleetilla Connect open architecture IoT platform, which uses APIs to integrate a broad set of data feeds through providers like electronic logging devices (ELD) and in-cab cameras, and brings them into one interface. Coupled with Road Ready’s FleetViz dashboard, which showcases data from the LogIQ smart partner network, this “single pane of glass” approach eliminates the need to portal hop — allowing fleets to save time, understand and potentially act upon asset insights.
“We hear the same thing, time and time again from our customers. How can you make the data easier to digest and act upon?” said Nada Jiddou, Executive Vice President of Connected Technologies at Clarience Technologies. “This integration is in response to their feedback and is a key first step in enabling a smart fleet solution that can be flexible and expanded to the needs of any fleet, at any stage in their connected technologies journey.”
In addition to enabling an easier way to visualize data, this truck and trailer connection also enhances the overall richness of fleet data. The connection, along with data from 11 industry-leading LogIQ smart partners, results in the broadest, sole view of fleet asset data seen in the industry today — which not only aids in identifying broader trends to act upon, but also is a starting point for future applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
Virtual Tether Enables Remote Monitoring of Tethered Status
Fleets also seek to understand the tether status of specific truck-trailer units. A key driver for this information is to avoid mistakes of taking the wrong trailer, thus resulting in reduced downtime and inefficiencies. Additionally, drivers want information on real-time trailer conditions in a cab, or to be contacted, should an event occur.
To relay this information, Road Ready utilizes a virtual tether approach. The solution allows the driver to integrate the truck and the trailer by plugging in to the J-560 connection — just as they’re used to doing.
“Road Ready’s virtual tether was designed to eliminate the human factor in truck and trailer integration,” said Paul Sniegocki, Chief Technology Officer at Clarience Technologies. “The virtual tether enables a smooth transition to smart fleets because it empowers drivers to access safety critical information in real-time, without extensive training or changing operations.”
In addition to ease of operation for drivers, the virtual tether also offers real-time data benefits. Despite the booming success and popularity of telematics, spurred by the digital transformation of transportation, data collected and connected through telematics in the cloud has challenges when it comes to real-time safety critical information. In the case of an emergency event, instantaneous information is crucial for driver safety and the best-case outcome for assets. Edge-computing allows the virtual tether to offer real-time data that is relayed to the driver.
The virtual tether is CAN bus- and future-proofed, as it is compatible with any industry-recommended connection — effectively eliminating the need for upfitting investments.
Continuing with Customer Innovations that Move Transportation Forward
Both Road Ready’s cloud-based integration and the virtual tether represent a bigger strategy that has continued to differentiate Road Ready’s approach – bold thinking that leads the industry forward. For this to work, the brand has done its due diligence studying customers and their data.
“Developing the right technologies for customers means providing what they need today, while simultaneously anticipating the challenges they’ll face tomorrow,” said Jiddou. “Our integrated solutions look at each individual customer, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach to connected technologies, so we can provide specialized, customer-focused solutions for fleets now and beyond.”
