Stoughton Trailers LLC’s dry van trailers are exclusively compatible with Electrans Technologies Ltd.’s Auto Connect, the company reports. The system is designed to automatically connect the truck and trailer air, 7-way electrical and communication lines—all in seconds.
“Imagine a driver simply backing up, pushing a button within the cab and 7 seconds later driving away with the trailer,” said Jeremy Sanders, chief commercial officer for Stoughton. “This is not the distant future. It’s here now. We wanted to ensure our fleet customers are ready to adopt this technology as the industry moves to gain efficiency, improve safety, and pursue autonomous operation.”
Electrans Technologies has developed the patent-pending Auto Connect, which is compatible with Tico terminal tractors. Auto Connect couples the pneumatic airlines, electrical lines and the CAN bus or other communication wiring required to operate a wide variety of sensors and cameras. The lines are securely connected and fully operational with signals flowing freely in both directions.
An upgraded, patent-pending coupler on Stoughton dry van trailers is designed to accommodate the new Auto Connect system. A slot on the front bolster is specifically designed to house the Auto Connect receiver and protect the receiver from damage. It comes complete with two airline fittings and an electrical harness to allow for easy connection.
The Electrans’ receiver can be installed, connected and ready for use in as little as an hour on new trailers with the optional Auto Connect coupler. Stoughton dry van trailers outfitted for this feature will be backwards compatible, allowing trucks and trailers to be coupled with legacy connections or the new Auto Connect feature. Being backwards compatible provides fleets with the flexibility to efficiently manage their truck and trailer equipment as they adapt to this new technology.