Grote Industries of Madison, Indiana has developed the new 4SEE smart trailer system that it said will supply safety-related innovation.
The 4SEE smart trailer system uses a combination of hardware and software that will enable truck fleets to have more access to data related to their operations and help improve safety on the roadways.
Of the 3-million trailers on the road today in North America, only an estimated five percent are considered smart trailers. With 4SEE, Grote said it hopes to increase that number to 34 percent by 2027.
“Grote Industries has its eyes set on the future,” said Dominic Grote, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, and President (see image below). “The tech revolution in trucking is currently underway, and with 4SEE, Grote is at the forefront of that, giving operators the capability of tracking their fleet easier and keeping drivers and cargo safer on the roads.”
Although technological advances in trucking have in the past focused on the cab, Grote’s attention to the trailer allows fleet operators to have even more control over safety, security, efficiency, and cost savings.
The smart trailers allow more insight and accessibility than the location-focused telematics systems of today provide. It allows drivers to receive critical notifications through a mobile app on their smartphones about problems such as low tire pressure, lights that are about to go out, and even crucial information if a trailer is stolen, or the cargo is damaged in transport.
Dominic Grote
Dominic Grote, CEO & President, Grote Industries
Grote Industries’ 4SEE technology works by connecting the harness, nose box, and multiple sensors, which creates unique data points for fleets to use.
4SEE hardwires all the components with an innovative digital harness system that connects without grease and has a single connection point—the 4SEE nose box—to cab inputs. This supplies the driver and/or fleet manager with all outputs in one place.
The 4SEE technology can integrate with existing telematics solutions, to become part of the fleet’s one solution for data needs.
The need for accident prevention technology is paramount, as 2021 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows traffic fatalities reaching a 16-year high. The proximity sensors within the 4SEE system can aid drivers in changing lanes, providing a real-time notification to the driver if a vehicle is in the trailer’s blind spots.
The 4SEE digital harness system also provides modules to connect legacy hardware and digital hardware to the same harness while isolating them to prevent one piece of the system from interfering with any other.
“We are already testing these smart trailers, and have over 500,000 miles completed, soon to cross the 1-million-mile threshold,” Grote said. “In so many ways, semi-trucks are the backbone of America, and this technology can start helping businesses immediately. We’re already taking orders and plan to have 4SEE available as soon as October.”
While supply chain issues have plagued hundreds of industries, Grote Industries provides supply chain security by manufacturing 4SEE in North America at its facilities. Its 4SEE smart lamps which help trucks avoid Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) fines and citations, are being manufactured at its home base in Madison, reinforcing the company’s commitment to providing supply chain solutions and jobs right here in North America.
For over 120 years, Grote, a family-owned company, has supplied state-of-the-art solutions for OEM and aftermarket customers across the globe, employing 500 people in its headquarters and over 1,500 globally.
For more information on 4SEE, visit www.grote.com/4see/.