Powered by the Sun: The Next Frontier in Trailer Tracking

Introduction

Solar-powered asset trackers made their debut in the mid-2010s with a primary focus on unpowered assets that required extended monitoring periods with minimal service and maintenance support. Over the last decade, the variety of assets tracked using solar technology has expanded significantly. This expansion has been driven by solar efficiency gains and the use of long-lasting backup batteries, enabling these devices to continuously operate even during extended periods of limited sunlight.

Solar-powered asset trackers offer an innovative solution for trailer tracking, utilizing solar energy to provide near real-time data on trailer location and condition. By combining efficiency and sustainability, transportation and logistics providers stand to benefit greatly from the use of solar-powered trackers.

Benefits of using Solar-Powered Asset Trackers for Trailer Tracking

Using solar power for trailer tracking offers companies a cost-effective, sustainable, and versatile option, eliminating the need for frequent battery replacements and reducing environmental impact of using one-time use or high maintenance solutions. Solar-powered asset trackers ensure reliable and uninterrupted tracking, making them ideal for monitoring trailers.

Cost Efficiency	Sustainability	Uninterrupted Monitoring
Although the initial investment in solar asset tracking devices may be higher, they can yield superior long-term cost savings compared to battery-powered devices by eliminating the maintenance costs associated with battery replacements or recharging.	Solar-powered devices harness  a renewable and clean energy source. This reduces the environmental impact associated with battery-powered devices by eliminating maintenance trips to service these devices and the disposal of electronic waste due to battery replacements.	When sunlight is scarce, solar-powered devices use backup batteries to ensure uninterrupted tracking. This is especially important for long-term tracking use cases, as it ensures the tracking device remains operational.

Key Trailer Tracking Challenges

Monitoring trailers used in transportation presents several challenges, primarily stemming from the need for continuous monitoring and tight security. Ensuring the safety and security of goods in transit requires constant monitoring of trailer location, condition, and cargo integrity which can be hindered by limited visibility into key events such as a trailer door being unexpectedly opened while the trailer is stationary or a sudden temperature drop within the trailer.

Cargo theft remains a significant and escalating concern within the North American transportation & logistics sector. According to a CargoNet study, in 2023, cargo theft incidents increased 57% YoY resulting in a total of nearly $130 million of goods stolen.

Additionally, maintaining optimal trailer performance requires proactive monitoring of mileage to determine replacement cycles for tires and, if transporting temperature-sensitive goods, continuous monitoring of the trailer temperature to meet customer and regulatory requirements to prevent product spoilage.

Conclusion

Solar-powered asset trackers are transforming trailer tracking by combining efficiency and sustainability, offering numerous benefits such as continuous tracking capabilities, reduced environmental impact, and improved security and maintenance. These trackers offer transportation and logistics provide the unique opportunity for a more efficient and sustainable future in trailer tracking.

About Positioning Universal

Established in 2013, Positioning Universal is the leading global provider of off-the-shelf and customizable IoT devices, along with GPS-based monitoring solutions for vehicles and assets. Our Systems Integration (SI) services deliver turn-key solutions for smooth IoT implementations, leveraging our team’s extensive industry knowledge. With a deep understanding of IoT technologies, we guide companies in designing and deploying IoT solutions that meet their unique needs. Our comprehensive offerings, paired with best-in-class customer support, empower businesses with the essential business intelligence to sustain a competitive edge in rapidly evolving markets.

Positioning Universal’s Solar-Powered Asset Trackers

Positioning Universal launched its solar asset trackers, the TT600 and TT603¹, in 2019. Key competitive differentiators for the TT600 and TT603 are:

Positioning Universal continuously monitors relevant technological advancements, including emerging developments in solar technologies, in our constant quest to improve the quality of the telematics solutions we provide to our resellers and customers.

^{1 TT603 has a built-in connector to connect temperature sensors, door sensors, and to detect tractor power.}