Phillips Connect unveiled six new capabilities for its smart trailer platform during a press conference at the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) annual meeting, expanding the types of data fleets can gather from trailers and making it easier for new users to adopt the technology.
Mark Wallin, senior vice president of product and general manager of Phillips Connect, said the company has focused on bringing more operational intelligence to trailers — an asset that has historically received far less technological attention than tractors.
“For years the tractor has gotten all the attention,” Wallin said. “One of the things that has always been less invested in was the trailer. Phillips Connect has been focused solely on how you bring better trailer insights into your business and your operations.”
The company announced new features spanning connected equipment, analytics and a new onboarding program designed to lower barriers for fleets adopting smart trailer technology.
Among the announcements was Brake Intelligence, developed through a collaboration with Bendix. The system provides deeper insights into trailer brake performance, including ABS fault codes, stability system data and severity indicators that help fleets determine when a trailer should be removed from service.
“No longer will you ever put an unhealthy trailer in the plan for the day,” Wallin said. “No longer will you ever put an unhealthy trailer at a dock door, and no longer will you have an unhealthy trailer traveling on the road.”
Phillips Connect also introduced Liftgate Intelligence through a partnership with Maxon and its MaxLink technology. The integration brings liftgate data into the Phillips Connect smart trailer platform, including battery health, usage cycles, motor activity and fault codes.
The additional insights can help fleets shift toward preventive or predictive maintenance strategies, reducing the risk of liftgate failures that can disrupt deliveries.
Another announcement focused on roadside safety. Through a partnership with Emergency Safety Solutions, Phillips Connect introduced Roadside Intelligence, which activates a distinctive lighting pattern on the rear of a trailer when the tractor’s hazard lights are engaged.
The system is designed to increase visibility for approaching motorists and can also publish alerts to traffic mapping and in-cab navigation platforms warning drivers of a stopped vehicle ahead.
“Anything you can do to make a trailer that’s pulled over on the side of the road more visible is extremely powerful,” Wallin said.
The company also expanded its AI-powered CargoVision technology, which analyzes images inside a trailer to determine whether it is loaded and what type of cargo is present. The system can now classify objects such as pallets, straps or debris and distinguish between cargo and non-cargo items.
A new people-detection capability can also identify when someone is inside or near a trailer.
“We’re now able to detect if there was a person inside that trailer or slightly outside of it,” Wallin said. “The more we understand about what’s inside the trailer, the more we can make smarter decisions in our organization.”
Phillips Connect also introduced Driver Behavior Insights, designed to give fleets visibility into how their trailers are being operated — even when hauled by third-party carriers.
Wallin noted that fleets often have little visibility into driving behavior when outside carriers pull their trailers.
“They’ve got their brand all over the side of the trailer and their goods inside it, but somebody else may be driving that trailer around in a very unsafe way,” he said.
The system can monitor metrics such as speeding, harsh braking and aggressive cornering, allowing fleets to identify risky driving patterns.
Finally, the company launched the Phillips Connect JumpStart program, aimed at making it easier for fleets to begin adopting smart trailer intelligence without switching telematics providers.
Many fleets are locked into long-term contracts with trailer tracking providers and cannot easily change platforms, Wallin said. The JumpStart program allows fleets to deploy capabilities such as automated trailer identification, cargo intelligence, liftgate monitoring, temperature tracking, brake diagnostics and tire health while continuing to use their existing location tracking system.
“This is really about accessibility,” Wallin said. “It allows more customers to get started with smart trailer intelligence much quicker.”
Phillips Connect says the new capabilities are designed to expand how trailer data is used across fleet operations, from maintenance and safety to dispatch and logistics planning.
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