The DrivePoint Heavy Duty tire monitoring solution is to be released by Goodyear to help managers of container handling operations improve preventive tire maintenance and reduce vehicle downtime. The solution is built around durable hardware and easy-to-use mobile and web applications.
The system uses technology from the truck industry that has been upgraded and upscaled to enable its use on large container handling machines, including stackers, straddle carriers and automated guided vehicles (AGV). Goodyear’s solution utilizes battery-powered receivers based in the desired location, which read and analyze data from a vehicle’s heavy-duty on-valve tire pressure sensors when driving past.
Drawing on the company’s experience in developing online fleet and tire management tools, Goodyear DrivePoint Heavy Duty benefits from three pieces of software for users, consisting of Goodyear FleetHub, Goodyear DriverHub and Goodyear TechHub.
The Goodyear FleetHub web and mobile application delivers constant information on the condition of the fleet’s tires. The integrated connectivity with the machine and port hardware makes it a data-driven tire management solution, providing the operator and operational personnel with a completely remote snapshot of the vehicle’s tire status. Furthermore. the system can notify a user when a tire needs maintenance or to be changed.
DriverHub uses the same data streams and turns them into driver-relevant information on the condition of the tire. Connected via the Goodyear DrivePoint Heavy Duty, the application helps drivers and operators make the right decisions to reduce tire-related incidents while supporting and enhancing port safety.
TechHub helps technicians easily manage the installation and/or maintenance of Goodyear DrivePoint Heavy Duty. The smartphone app aids setup across fleets and guides users through the installation process. All of the solutions are synchronized with Goodyear’s cloud to ensure data is collected even when out of network range.
“The container handling industry is facing unprecedented supply and cost pressures, so Goodyear DrivePoint Heavy Duty is a timely innovation at a critical point for the industry,” explained Octavian Velcan, Goodyear’s managing director of OTR and aviation EMEA. “By reducing the number of hours spent checking machines and tire maintenance by using automated solutions with both desktop and mobile app software support, operators can focus on keeping their machines moving.”
The DrivePoint Heavy Duty system has undergone a pilot trial at Hutchison Ports ECT Rotterdam (ECT), a container terminal operator in the Netherlands. The system was installed on automated guided vehicles at the ECT Euromax and ECT Delta terminals and was shown to enable vehicles to be serviced efficiently, helping to extend tire life.
