NASHVILLE. The new intelligent trailer control module (ITCM) unveiled here by Haldex at the 2017 Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) annual meeting is designed to allow for more “plug and play” system additions to trailers, as way as way to extract more data from them, too, noted Scott Walpole, the company’s North America product manager for ABS/EBS and valves.
“Data is very important when it comes to managing trailers, just like for trucks,” he explained.
With two “protocols” of communication available through the ITCM – the Power Line Carrier (PLC) protocol and Controller Area Network (CAN) port – the device offers multiple auxiliary ports where additional devices can be connected.
Some of those possible "connections" include:
- Trailer roll stability control, which Haldex can offer as a plug-in auxiliary device to provide both rollover control and automatic braking.
- Trailer lift axle control via the Haldex ILAS E, which controls the position of the lift axles during operation.
- Switch control, which acts as an “on/off” switch to provide an action determined by pressures, temperature, power voltage and other inputs.
- External system monitoring, to provide monitoring and reporting from "non-Haldex" systems such as tire pressure monitoring systems, and integration into the fleets GPS system.
Walpole added that the ITCM also offers “expanded diagnostics” that allows for several ways to retrieve trouble codes, set up additional devices, track trailer brake activity and other data related inputs and outputs. The self-configurable and flash upgradeable ITCM ECU is compatible with 1M, 2M and 3M ABS configurations, he noted
“This is what the market is demanding out there,” Walpole said. “This is something we have to participate in.”
