DOE SuperTruck II Uses Smart Hub

Wabash National Corp., headquartered in Lafayette, IN, is a diversified industrial manufacturing business. As the leading North American manufacturer of semi-trailers and liquid transportation systems, Wabash participates in the U.S. Department of Energy’s SuperTruck II program.

THE CHALLENGE

Wabash asked us to partner with them in developing Smart Trailer technology for the SuperTruck II program.

This five-year research and development initiative focuses on improving freight efficiency (the amount of freight hauled per gallon of fuel used) by 50 percent compared to 2009 base model heavy-duty tractor-trailer vehicles. Other Wabash partners include Volvo, Michelin and Peloton Technology.

Their Goal

Wabash’s SuperTruck II requirements were to automatically pass the trailer VIN number to the tractor utilizing Bluetooth LE wireless technology.

Our Solution

We assisted Wabash by outfitting the SuperTruck II trailer with a modified version of Gauge’s GTC-1000 hardware platform. The technology we provided allowed Wabash to leverage the flexibility of the GTC-1000 to meet the SuperTruck II requirements as well as a variety of options to expand data collection and report as need throughout the program.

In addition to the SuperTruck II requirements, the GTC-1000 provides real-time tracking of the trailer through Smart Hub.

Measurable Results

Wabash and Gauge successfully achieved the goal set by the SuperTruck II program for Phase I.