Ever wish you could look inside a trailer without opening the door? ID Systems’ new camera-based sensor and asset-tracking suite can do just that.

ID Systems has unveiled a new line of sophisticated asset-tracking and telemetry products, featuring new ways to get visibility of the cargo inside the trailer or container. Plus it is offering an interactive voice-user interface for accessing analytics of the data those systems provide.

During the American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference and Exhibition in late October, ID Systems showcased the LV series cargo-tracking suite of products.

The LV Series combines trailer or container tracking telematics units with low-powered sensors, connected via Bluetooth communication. This way they can not only track the trailer or container and provide real-time updates, but also monitor the condition and status of the cargo, including temperature, humidity and shock. They can track not only location, but also loaded levels, tire pressure, antilock braking system lights, door opens, and other elements.

The three asset tracking models (LV-100, LV-300 and LV-500) offer different power management technology, such as a long-life primary battery, rechargeable battery, or dual-power source. Solar-powered supercapacitors team up with long-lasting batteries, for instance, for the wireless LV-500.

Each offers both time-based and sensor-event reporting. They also incorporate wireless sensing of the LV-710, LV-720 and LV-730 on-asset sensors, as well as LV-740 pallet-level sensors.

The LV-710 is a patent-pending, wireless high-definition camera, image recognition processor, door sensor and cargo-area environmental sensor that integrates with the family of LV tracking devices as well as the new YardView smartphone app.

The LV-710 uses image processing and deep learning to interpret what it’s seeing, explained CEO Chris Wolfe in an interview at the show. It can let fleets know what type of freight is inside the trailer, how full the trailer is, whether there are locking bars, etc., which allows for inbound planning.

When used with LV-740 pallet sensors, the LV-710 can also detect and report if and where pallets are loaded, as well as environmental alerts (e.g. temperature, etc.), to deliver complete cargo visibility.

The pallet sensors even have listening capability, Wolfe said, which could play a part in battling human smuggling efforts.

Lucy, an Interactive Voice-User Interface

Lucy is an integrated voice-activated system that allows a user to get information from the fleet’s asset and cargo database without having to manually pull reports, such as detailed in-transit reporting and real-time status and analytics. It also integrates with the Bing search engine to provide up-to-the-minute traffic, weather and other valuable updates along planned or existing routes. Lucy can work on a desktop computer or via an app on your phone.

For instance, ask Lucy for a shift status report, and you can get information on the number of assets at a location and which ones have alerts. Then it can tell you that the alerts are for issues such as temperature, shock, or cargo vibration.