In order to be able to accommodate the required number of battery modules (5)specified in terms of their external dimensionsand in particular the number required by the customer, with good weight distribution, in the chassis gradations of diesel tractors, in particular of long cabs, when switching to a battery electric drive, different arrangements of the battery modules (5) at the front and in particular also at the rear in the chassis (2) are proposed according to the invention.

Systems and methods determines that a trailer being towed by an autonomous electric tractor has its brakes applied when a motor current value of a drive motor of the autonomous electric tractor reaches or exceeds a first current threshold. a recover handler initiates a set of actions to recover resolve the trailer brake problem. A trailer lift status indicating whether a landing gear of the trailer is off the ground and a lift metric indicative of a height of the landing gear off the ground are determined by a perception module using one or more of images, point clouds, and radar data that include the trailer.

A device and method operated thereby may control a hydraulic pump to pump a hydraulic fluid into a chamber of a piston coupled to a fifth wheel of the tractor to raise the fifth wheel. The device, and method operated thereby, may sense, at intervals as the fifth wheel rises, a pressure value of the hydraulic fluid in the chamber. The device, and method operated thereby, may process the pressure values to determine when the landing gear is lifted off the ground.

A device and method operated thereby may control a hydraulic pump to pump a hydraulic fluid into a chamber of a piston coupled to a fifth wheel of the tractor to raise the fifth wheel. The device, and method operated thereby, may sense, at intervals as the fifth wheel rises, a pressure value of the hydraulic fluid in the chamber. The device, and method operated thereby, may process the pressure values to determine when the landing gear is lifted off the ground.

A container transportation system using autonomous driving includes: a container to be transported; an autonomous vehicle docked with or undocked from the container and autonomously travelling to transport the container to a transport destination; and a management server controlling travelling of the autonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises a container coupling part coupled to the container, and the container comprises: a container body; a plurality of height adjustment pillars coupled to respective corners of a lower surface of the container body and adjustable in length to lift or lower the container body from or to the ground; and a vehicle coupling part formed on the lower surface of the container body and coupled to the container coupling part.

An unmanned and self-powered vehicle or Towable Autonomous Dray (TOAD) may follow a vehicle and tow a trailer, haul a load, and/or recharge a pilot vehicle. The TOAD may be semi-autonomous and may attach to a pilot vehicle by an electronic identification. Further, wireless charging of the pilot vehicle may be provided by the TOAD. Smart trailer brakes, electric trailer axles, and a mechanically coupled tow vehicle may be provided by the TOAD in combination with additional units. A smart trailer controller may include a smart head unit and a smart tail unit in a trailer that may offer trailer security and increased safety. A smart trailer brake controller on the pilot vehicle and a smart module on the trailer may be applied where no unmanned vehicle is employed, such as, in a classic pick-up/trailer combination.

The vehicle system can include: a set of vehicle couplings (e.g., a tractor interface, a trailer interface, etc.); a chassis, a battery pack, an electric powertrain, a sensor suite, and a controller. The modular vehicle system can optionally include landing gear, a suspension, and any other suitable set of components. The vehicle system functions to structurally support and/or tow a trailersuch as a Class 8 semi-trailerand/or to augment/supplement a tractor propulsive capability (e.g., via a diesel/combustion engine) with a supplementary electric drive axle(s).

An apparatus for use in positioning a trailer includes an autonomous unit connectable with the trailer and having at least one wheel. A sensor unit connected to the autonomous unit determines the position and/or speed of the autonomous unit. A controller receives the at least one signal from the sensor unit and controls the direction and/or speed of movement of the autonomous unit.

An intermodal transportation system is provided having interconnected railcars adapted for transporting interconnected freight trailers where the freight trailers remain connected while being transported on the railcars. Individual trailers are dropped off at a railyard by over-the-road tractors and are then transported onto the railcars using various means as makes sense due to weather, location, and other factors

A terminal tractor, comprising: (a) an operator cab. (b) a fifth wheel configured for repositioning trailers, and (c) a trailer stabilizer lift separate from the fifth wheel.