Managing Editor, Features and Multimedia
BlackBerry Enters Trailer-Tracking Market
The system is designed to help trucking companies improve utilization of their trailers and shipping containers, reduce operational costs and prevent cargo theft, the company said.
BlackBerry Radar uses a battery-powered tracking device that installs on a trailer’s door. In addition to GPS location tracking, the device includes a light sensor that can report whether the trailer is full, half-full, a quarter full or empty, Stephen West, senior director of IoT business development, told Transport Topics.
.@BlackBerry launches trailer tracking system at #MATS2016. pic.twitter.com/CqUGaRALeA — Seth Clevenger (@SethClevenger) April 1, 2016
The system also monitors temperature and humidity and can send an alert whenever the trailer crosses a geofence or a trailer door opens or closes.
The hardware can be installed within 10 minutes, West added.
He said the new asset-tracking system “takes advantages of a lot of the technology that BlackBerry has had for years,” including cellular devices, sensors and cloud-based systems, as well as the company’s focus on data security.
In the back office, customers can use BlackBerry Radar’s online portal to view trailer status updates and data analytics, including customizable reports on asset utilization and cost per mile, he said.
General availability of BlackBerry Radar is scheduled for the summer.
