NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Phillips Industries has launched a new division that will focus on connectivity.

The launch of Phillips Connect Technology was announced at the Technology & Maintenance Council meetings.

“I really believe we’re going to see more changes in the next five years than we have seen in the last 50,” said Rob Phillips, president of Phillips Industries. “Software is going to disrupt all traditional industries in the next five to 10 years.”

With that in mind, Phillips launched its new division to be a player in the connected vehicle world.

“We saw a need a couple years ago to begin creating products for the future,” Phillips said.

The new division will bring to market new trailer technologies to offer fleets better visibility into their fleet. An example of this is a patent-pending system that consolidates data generated from all the onboard trailer sensors in use today, so fleets can view the data generated by all systems in a single place.

Other new products the division will launch include a brake sensor that notifies operators when a brake is out of adjustment, and various security programs that can deter trailer theft.

Trailer lockdown will lock the trailer brakes when the power line is disconnected. It will prevent theft as well as drivers leaving with the wrong trailer, Phillips explained. Drivers will be able to unlock the brakes by using their smart device to punch in a security key.

Another new offering coming from Phillips Connect Technology is trailer lock/unlock. It will notify a fleet manager when someone tries to break into a trailer and will even capture an image of the perpetrator and allow the fleet manager to contact law enforcement with the push of a button.

Phillips will be offering its services through its own proprietary telematics platform or will integrate with a fleet’s existing telematics system. Phillips said the new products are in the final stages of prototype development and will soon enter fleet testing. There is no firm launch date set but Phillips said the hope is to have the products on the market by next year.