Hendrickson Trailer Commercial Vehicle Systems announced it is moving forward with launch plans for its Watchman wheel-end sensor technology for trailers that operate on the vehicle area network developed by Sensata Technologies. The initial product offering will include trailer tire pressure and wheel-end temperature data that is communicated to the fleet via the trailer telematics system.

The Watchman wheel-end sensor technology will be an available option on Tiremaax Pro and Pro-LB tire pressure control systems. Hendrickson said it is scheduled to launch in early 2022.

Hendrickson noted that it worked with the Society of Automotive Engineers to use industry standards, according to established J1939 protocol, for the communication of data and fault codes for trailer wheel-end information.

“This common platform allows Hendrickson’s Watchman wheel-end sensor to be used by OEMs to provide crucial trailer data to their customers,” said Omar Fernandez, director of marketing at Hendrickson Trailer Commercial Vehicle Systems.

The Watchman system has been uniquely designed to seamlessly integrate into Tiremaxx, according to Hendrickson.

Early warnings of low tire pressure or leakage and/or elevated temperatures can help minimize the cost of repairs and maintenance of crucial wheel-end components, the company noted. The hubcap-mounted, battery-powered wheel-end sensors transmit wireless RF signals to the gateway module, collecting the data and acting as the trailer’s communication hub. The information will be transmitted from the gateway module to the trailer telematics device for transmission to a fleet’s back office.

Hendrickson added that it is working with telematics providers to integrate data from the Watchman wheel-end sensor into their telematic solutions, “to provide timely and actionable data for enhanced fleet efficiency and uptime.”