How do Insights and TrailerSignal work together to prevent roadside violations?

TrailerSignal displays trailer status visually (green or amber) at the nose of the trailer, accessible to yard personnel without needing a phone or system login. When amber is displayed, technicians can use the Insights app to identify the specific issue, its likely cause, and recommended repairs. This bridges the gap between detection and diagnosis, allowing maintenance teams to address problems before dispatch.

Why is detecting slow tire leaks important even on trailers with automatic tire inflation systems?

According to Phillips Connect, approximately half of trailers in the market now have ATIS, which can mask underlying problems by automatically compensating for slow leaks. Insights flags slow leaks regardless of whether pressure reads normal, allowing technicians to address the root cause in the shop before leaks escalate into blowouts or other safety failures.

What specific defect data do the products capture?

For lighting: circuit-level diagnosis (taillights, running lights, marker lights), partial versus full faults, likely causes (burned bulbs, water intrusion), and intermittent fault patterns. For tires: slow leak detection, specific tire identification, leak rate measurement, ATIS malfunction flags, pressure imbalances between paired tires, and miles driven underinflated.

How does this reduce compliance risk and insurance exposure?

Tires and lights accounted for 32.8% of vehicle out-of-service violations in 2026 Roadcheck data. These violations directly impact FMCSA CSA scores, which influence insurance premiums and carrier ratings. By proactively catching these defects in the yard, fleets avoid violations that accumulate against their safety record.

Who receives alerts when issues are detected?

Insights sends diagnostic information to fleet, safety, and maintenance teams via the Connect1 platform, urgent tire alerts to drivers through DriverAssist, and technical details to technicians via TechAssist. The system can also auto-generate service tickets in existing maintenance management systems.

Technology & Innovation

Moderate

Phillips Connect Launches Trailer Sensors to Catch Safety Defects Before Inspections

Oct 21, 2026

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The signal

Phillips Connect introduced two new smart trailer products, Insights and TrailerSignal, designed to detect tire and lighting defects before roadside inspections catch them. Insights uses sensor data to diagnose specific problems (like slow leaks or circuit faults) and suggests likely causes, while TrailerSignal is a physical light on the trailer that shows green when ready to dispatch and amber when issues exist.

This development addresses a critical compliance gap: tire and lighting violations accounted for nearly one-third of out-of-service violations in the 2026 International Roadcheck, with tires alone representing 20.9% of defects. These violations directly impact a carrier's Vehicle Maintenance BASIC score under FMCSA's Compliance, Safety, Accountability program, affecting insurance costs and operational ratings.

For supply chain and fleet operations teams, this technology reduces reliance on manual yard inspections and enables data-driven maintenance decisions. The integration with existing maintenance systems, driver apps, and fleet management platforms means defects can be caught and scheduled before they become roadside violations, minimizing downtime and regulatory risk.

#trailer-sensors

#predictive-maintenance

#fleet-safety

#roadside-inspections

#tire-monitoring

#lighting-diagnostics

#logistics-technology

#vehicle-compliance

#iot-fleet-management

#operational-efficiency

Frequently Asked Questions

What This Means for Your Supply Chain

Simulation Suggestion

this month

What if predictive tire monitoring prevents just 10% of tire-related out-of-service violations fleet-wide?

Simulate a scenario where implementation of Insights tire monitoring reduces tire-related roadside violations by 10% across a 500-trailer fleet. Model the downstream impact on CSA Vehicle Maintenance BASIC scores, insurance renewal costs, and driver hours lost to roadside inspections and repair delays. Compare against baseline compliance costs.

Run this scenario

Simulation Suggestion

this month

What if yard maintenance teams adopt TrailerSignal for pre-dispatch checks and reduce manual walkround time by 30%?

Model labor productivity gains if TrailerSignal reduces the time yard crews spend performing manual trailer inspections by 30%. Calculate FTE savings, reduced trailer dwell time in maintenance yards, and faster dispatch cycles. Factor in technology deployment costs and training overhead.

Run this scenario

Simulation Suggestion

strategic

What if early lighting fault detection reduces secondary failures and extends equipment lifetime by 5%?

Model the impact of detecting and correcting lighting circuit faults (loose wires, water intrusion, failing bulbs) before they cascade into secondary electrical system failures. Estimate maintenance cost reduction, trailer downtime avoidance, and extended useful life for trailer lighting systems across a fleet.

Run this scenario

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