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Trailer Immobilization: Why No Smart Gladhand & King Pin Locks?

Trailer Immobilization: Why No Smart Gladhand & King Pin Locks?

In today’s world of smart technology, you might wonder why there aren’t many “smart” gladhand locks or king pin locks. As far as we know, Phillips Connect’s smart gladhand lock is the only one available, and there are no smart king pin locks on the market. While the idea of making these devices smart is feasible, the real challenges lie in scalability and practicality. This article will explore why traditional trailer immobilization devices have not evolved into smart solutions and how advanced systems like the Admiral Hub provide a more effective alternative.

The Potential and Pitfalls of Smart Gladhand and King Pin Locks

What Does “Smart” Mean?

You’ve heard about smart trailers, but what exactly does “smart” mean? In logistics, “smart” typically refers to being internet-connected. The concept is straightforward: equip a trailer (or in this case, a lock) with connectivity to enable remote monitoring and control. Imagine a scenario where a dispatcher can unlock a lock remotely for a driver arriving at a yard. While this sounds ideal, the practicalities reveal significant challenges.

The Scalability Challenge

Imagine you are a third-party (3P) driver who arrives at an unfamiliar yard to pick up a trailer. The dispatcher remotely unlocks the smart gladhand lock or king pin lock for you. The lock disengages, and you’re ready to go. But what do you do with the lock once you remove it? This creates a logistical nightmare for the fleet manager who needs to keep track of all the locks.

You might wonder about a mechanism that stays on the asset. While there are solutions like Phillips Connect’s mechanism that address this issue, they come with their own set of challenges. Some might suggest adding a simple chain attached to the trailer and a compartment to store the lock. However, this solution presents its own problems. The space at the chassis or the existing tubing can make these mechanisms expensive to add, quickly turning into a major operation.

Real-World Inefficiency

While making smart locks that can remain on the trailer is technically feasible, the practicality of their use in everyday operations may present significant issues. The problem is that these locks interfere with the regular hookup process, causing delays and operational headaches. For yard shunting, the additional touch point slows down operations significantly.

Self-Managing Solutions to the Rescue

Self-managing immobilization solutions package the passive protection of non-smart locks and informative capabilities of reactive systems. The whole package goes on the asset itself, making it capable of making own security-related decisions without the need for human intervention. If you are not familiar with this categorization, we encourage you to read the linked article.

One of the primary requirements for these solutions is scalability, and this is built into the architecture from the ground up. For instance, the Admiral Immobilizer by Level5 Fleet is designed to require no driver action at all.

How It Works

The Immobilizer is a valve installed on the spring brake line, away from the regular hookup process. The Hub is an edge computer installed on the trailer, giving the trailer the ability to recognize whether the driver or the tractor are authorized to hook up, when they are allowed to do so, and where. The driver doesn’t need to do anything differently. If they are authorized, they can simply drive away as usual—all seamlessly and transparently. If they are not authorized, the tug-test fails, and they know immediately to call dispatch. If they have the Admiral Driver App, they can also see the reason, such as the trailer still being docked or hooking up to the wrong one. For more on how the Admiral works, visit this guide.

This animation illustrates how the system is installed.

The Hub functions independently, downloading necessary credentials and identifying tractors or drivers without needing an internet connection. This autonomous operation ensures functionality even in areas with no connectivity. Additionally, the Hub provides continuous data on trailer status, location, and health, ensuring that you are always informed.

Tractors equipped with a universal trailer fob can unlock trailers seamlessly. If a tractor lacks the fob, the driver app serves the same function. Additionally, if a driver’s phone dies, remote unlocking is possible via the Admiral Console, a web app accessible from any internet-enabled device.

Conclusion

While making gladhand locks and king pin locks smart is technically possible, the practical challenges of scalability and operational efficiency make them impractical. These traditional devices, even when made smart, interfere with the regular hookup process, causing delays and logistical headaches.

Self-managing solutions – and Admiral in particular – represents a new standard in trailer immobilization, combining advanced technology with real-time monitoring to ensure maximum security and operational efficiency. By adopting Admiral Trailer Immobilization, you can overcome the limitations of traditional devices and achieve a higher level of trailer and cargo security. For more information on how the Admiral Hub can enhance your operations, visit Level5Fleet Solutions.

19231 54 Ave #103 Surrey BC V3S 8P5 Canada

Phone: +1 (778) 400-1922

The Future of Tractor-Trailer Security