Tesla Semi, Smart Trailers and More Showcased at TMC
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tesla Semi, an electric-powered trailer and a variety of connected vehicle technologies were among the innovations on display outside Music City Center as fleet maintenance leaders gathered for the annual meeting of American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council.
Tesla Inc. showcased its battery-electric Semi model at TMC, giving attendees the opportunity to view the vehicle in person and sit in the driver’s seat, which is positioned in the center of the cab to improve visibility.
The zero-emission Class 8 tractor offers a range of up to 500 miles on a single charge.
Tesla, which first introduced the Semi back in late 2017, has delivered the vehicle in small quantities to initial customers such as PepsiCo and is currently building a factory in Reno, Nev., to produce the truck at scale.
Conference attendees also got a close-up look at a Range Energy powered trailer equipped with an electric axle from ZF Group.
Range Energy’s electrified trailers enable zero-emission power for refrigeration and liftgates while also supporting propulsion and recouping energy through regenerative braking.
Range Energy shows its electric-powered trailer technology. (Seth Clevenger/Transport Topics)
Diesel tractors can realize up to 40% fuel savings when pulling a trailer outfitted with Range Energy’s eTrailer system, said Jason Chua, chief product officer. The powered trailers can also act as a range extender for battery-electric tractors, he added.
“We know that the people who are here really understand what it takes to deploy technology in the real world,” Chua said. “That’s why we’re here. We want to show them that this is truly a practical solution for their fleets.”
Meanwhile, safety technology supplier Stoneridge offered ride-alongs in a tractor-trailer in downtown Nashville to show TMC attendees how its MirrorEye camera monitor system improves driver visibility and awareness.
The system uses onboard cameras and digital displays in the cab in lieu of traditional side mirrors to give the driver a more complete view of the vehicle’s surroundings.
In addition to the main side cameras mounted near the top of the cab, Stoneridge also showed how its system can provide the driver with viewpoints from trailer-mounted cameras, including views along the length of the trailer and behind the trailer, as well as visibility to the cargo inside.
Beyond the cameras, the system also connects with sensors that provide information such as available cargo capacity and current tire pressure to improve safety and operations.
“The whole idea is to empower the driver to make the safe decision in real time,” said Mario Gafencu, product design and evaluation specialist at Stoneridge.
Stoneridge’s Gafencu shows how drivers can access views from trailer cameras through an in-cab display during a demo. (Seth Clevenger/Transport Topics)
The expanded visibility ultimately helps reduce driver stress, fatigue and anxiety, said Gafencu, an experienced truck driver who outlined the system’s capabilities during the demonstrations.
Nearby, Aperia Technologies highlighted its Halo Connect i3 tire management system installed on a tractor operated by trucking and logistics provider NFI, which deployed the connected tire technology last year.
Halo Connect i3 provides automatic tire inflation and monitoring and enables remote tire pressure set point adjustments and tread depth diagnostics.
NFI, based in Camden, N.J., ranks No. 15 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest for-hire carriers in North America.
Also outside the convention center, fleet telematics firm Samsara showcased a tractor-trailer demonstrating the company’s expanded smart trailer capabilities.
The new functionality includes a power monitoring feature that detects when trailers lose power while they are on the road, along with monitoring of automatic tire inflation systems and tractor-trailer mismatch alerts that prevent drivers from picking up the wrong trailers.
Terberg Taylor Americas exhibited a YT Series terminal tractor designed for ports, distribution centers and industrial operations.
The joint venture of Mississippi-based Taylor Group Inc. and Netherlands-based Royal Terberg Group builds the specialty vehicles at its plant in Columbus, Miss.
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