Tectran has introduced a new 17-way tractor trailer connection system for evaluation in the North American trucking industry.
During a press conference Sunday at ATA's Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tectran Chairman Bruce McKie says the company's system was developed to be the most robust solution available on the market, developed based on feedback from TMC's S.1 Electrical and S.7 Trailer study groups and surveys conducted of TMC members in recent years.
McKie says the 17-pin system is built on the foundation of a traditional 7-way J560 connector, which enables backward compatibility, a priority for "99%" of fleets surveyed, while also bringing new technologies to support today's ultra connected trucking operations. Also present in the design are two CAN buses, two high-speed Ethernet buses and two 30A AUX pins.
Another critical objective of the 17-pin system is a broader focus on the effective design of the complete system including selection, installation and “fool-proofing.” The company envisions a park socket to prevent the parking brakes from releasing until the trailer connector is properly parked, will overcome concerns about ”drive-off” damage. This connector also uses a locking device similar to what is used in Europe, McKie says.
Finally, Tectran's new connectors also are built to sustain rugged operating conditions, and McKie says the company has developed installation and operating system technical guidance to maximize the life cycle of the system. He says the technology is in testing now.
"We're doing independent lab testings, and we're testing the technology with the fleets," he says.
