At the Truckload Carriers Assn. convention in Las Vegas, Terion Inc. today introduced a solar charging option to its FleetView 3 trailer tracking product.

Solar Power Assist integrates solar technology into the Terion proprietary marker light antenna to increase battery life and reduce overall maintenance requirements.
According to Terion, Solar Power Assist extends battery life by an average of three times between charges, allowing for continued visibility and control of a trailer that sits idle for extended amounts of time.
Solar Power Assist extends the useful life of the battery by reducing deep discharges and total charging cycles. FleetView 3 with Solar Power Assist maximizes the charge while minimizing the required solar cell footprint. In fact, the new antenna form factor is identical to current antenna configurations, allowing for simple replacement on trailers already equipped with FleetView 3.
The FleetView 3 solution combines a high-bandwidth wireless path with intelligent messaging and sensor capabilities. Typical benefits associated with FleetView include an increase in trailer utilization and a reduced trailer-to-tractor ratio. Information is provided to the operator over the Internet through Terion’s patented hardware and software design.
The design integrates GPS and digital CDMA cellular technology for comprehensive coverage throughout the United States and Canada. The system uniquely supports over-the-air software downloads for device settings and software upgrades.