LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems announced at the Mid-America Trucking Show its gateway communications capability, called InfoLink.

Developed to complement the company’s existing anti-lock braking system (ABS) products, InfoLink allows communication between the tractor and trailer, as well as to third-party telematic devices, such as computers and cellular phones.

The communication capability is available immediately to all North American tractor and trailer original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to meet virtually any communication application requirement, the company says.

“Our current tractor and trailer ABS offerings were developed with the future in mind. We are proud to be the first and only component supplier to offer this communication capability to the industry and excited about the tangible benefits it will offer fleets and owner operators,” Dennis Sandberg, president of Meritor WABCO Vehicle Control Systems says.

InfoLink is a result of exclusive electronic control unit (ECU) software designed by Meritor WABCO engineers. The software utilizes special addresses to allow data to be transferred through the tractor/trailer “gateway” via existing ABS data links. The fleet or end-user communication requirements determine which parameters are set at the time of vehicle build.

The tractor ECU enables the actual gateway function, while the trailer ECU provides the monitoring and control capabilities. Enhanced Easy-Stop trailer ABS allows for the monitoring or control of up to five functions. It is also compatible with emerging telematics technologies for additional fleet communication requirements.