Phillips Industries introduced three new products at this year’s Technology & Maintenance Council, including a system designed to prevent drivers from coupling to the wrong trailer.

T/T Pair acts as a “smart 7-way socket” that instantaneously alerts fleets when a driver has coupled to the wrong trailer. Speaking at TMC, Rob Phillips, CEO and founder of Phillips Connect, said it’s more reliable than Bluetooth which can get its signals crossed in a busy fleet yard.

The socket replaces the existing Phillips QCS2 socket, and can be swapped out in just one minute. Using the existing J560 plug, T/T Pair establishes a powerful communications link and communicates the tractor-trailer pairing to any BLE-integrated ELD or trailer telematics device, the company says.

“By developing our T/T Pair, we are redefining what full fleet visibility and security means to our customers,” Dan Forthoffer, vice-president of corporate R*D for Phillips said in a release. “By ensuring 100% reliable and instantaneous tractor-trailer connectivity, we’re not only introducing a product; we’re delivering a promise of enhanced operational efficiency, security, and proactive maintenance that directly translates to significant cost savings and, most importantly, safer roads.”

The company also launched Rear-Vu, which it dubs as the only universal, fast-installing backup camera that can be viewed by any driver. It can be quickly attached to any trailer a driver is coupling to. Footage can then be accessed through a smartphone, tablet, or compatible in-cab telematics device. Phillips noted 75% of truck collisions occur in yards and that a backup cam that can be easily transferred between trailers will help drivers prevent such incidents.

The company also released its Apex internal trailer lighting system for dry vans with thin skins that can’t be cut into for dome light installation. The motion-detecting lights mount easily in the corner providing better visibility within the trailer.

The lights are durable enough to withstand pressure washing. Phillips said Utility Trailer is installing the system in its reefer trailers.

Phillips Connect also announced a partnership with Noregon.

“No one knows the maintenance and diagnostics business better than Noregon,” said Phillips. “We are the trailer experts.”

Partnering with Noregon offers customers an easier way to diagnose and repair trailers fitted with Phillips Connect products. Phillips Connect1 trailer data is fed into Noregon’s TripVision Remote Diagnostics platform, providing essential trailer health data, location information, odometer readings, brake diagnostics and more.

“Our integration with TripVision is a game-changer for the industry,” said Phillips. “By bringing together the best of what both our companies have to offer, we’re enabling fleets to operate with an efficiency and clarity that was previously unattainable. This is about providing our customers with the tools they need to succeed in a competitive landscape.”