As consolidation sweeps through the international trailer manufacturing industry; attention is shifting from sheer production capacity to something equally critical: asset security. From the factory floor to the freight yard, ensuring the safety, integrity and traceability of high-value trailers has never been more complex or more urgent.
The Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA), which helps members minimise losses to their supply chains resulting from cargo thefts, said that research found cargo crime in Europe costs businesses more than €8.2 billion per annum.
TAPA also found from additional research that businesses in Germany suffered cargo losses and damages exceeding €2.2 billion a year from an estimated 26,000 annual attacks on trucks.
In light of such data, trailer security, and the related cargo safety, is a paramount consideration for OEMs when trailer bodies are readied for the market.
Hence, current trailer design is increasingly focused on embedding security features at the point of manufacture.
One aspect of trailer building, which is becoming crucial to the industry is the installation of smart locks and associated digital access control.
Commercial smart trailer locks use wireless communication, like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, to enable remote locking and unlocking, via smartphone apps, control access using PINs or biometrics, and track lock activity for enhanced cargo security and management.
The smart locks, are often made of stainless steel and are remotely controlled via a telematics system, are replacing traditional systems, such as tie wraps, disposable bolts and padlocks, which can be easily damaged by theft and tampering.
They easily integrate with fleet management systems, allowing for geofencing-based automation and register immediate alerts for unauthorised attempted unlocking, providing significant benefits in terms of theft deterrence, operational efficiency, and driver safety compared to traditional mechanical locks.
There are also biometric locks to authenticate users through fingerprints or facial recognition, which are extremely helpful with GPS tracking
Electronic locks use digital codes or RFID technology for secure access control. Digital codes require unique input, while RFID uses radio frequency signals to automatically unlock the lock with authorised tags.
According to industry research company, Market Intelo, the global trailer smart lock market was valued at $1.2 billion USD (€1.03 billion) in 2024 and is forecasted to reach $4.3 billion USD (€3.67 billion) by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 15.2 per cent.
“The integration of IoT technologies and the proliferation of connected devices have transformed traditional trailer security, facilitating real-time monitoring, remote access, and enhanced control over valuable cargo,” the report said.
It said the increased adoption of smart locks was driven by digital transformation of business and economies.
“The market is further buoyed by the rising incidence of cargo theft, stricter regulatory requirements, and the need for operational efficiency in supply chain management,” it said.
As a result of AI merging with cloud computing and greater mobile connectivity, trailer manufacturers are now able to provide smart locks with biometric authentication, geofencing, tamper alerts, and integration with fleet management systems, particularly in logistics and transportation, the report said.
“These innovations are not only enhancing security but also providing actionable insights for fleet optimisation and compliance,” the research report found.
“The smart lock for trailers market is witnessing a wave of strategic partnerships and collaborations between technology providers, OEMs, and logistics companies.
“These alliances are aimed at developing integrated solutions that address the evolving needs of end-users, such as seamless connectivity, interoperability, and scalability.”
Now, with the secure locks being developed comes trailer door lock telematics to monitor the status of trailer door locks in real-time and offering insights into lock usage patterns and potential security breaches, ensuring that cargo remains secure in transit, the report said.
The research also found that North America, and particularly the US, leads the smart lock for trailers market with the highest adoption rate – about 38 per cent of the global market share.
It also found that the Asia Pacific region is projected to register the highest CAGR (18.7 per cent) for trailer smart locks up to 2033, due to rapid urbanisation, booming e-commerce, and significant investments in transportation infrastructure in countries, such as China, India, and Japan.
In 2022, Schmitz Cargobull introduced its TL4 door locking system offers safety for cargo and drivers.
This system sees a trailer with an electronic door lock control system that ensures goods are protected against unauthorised access.
The smart safety function, in combination with Schmitz Cargobull’s TrailerConnect telematics solution, enables users to automatically control the door locking system.
Via the TrailerConnect portal, users can define loading and unloading locations where the door locking system automatically unlocks the trailer on arrival or locks it when leaving. Geofence-areas only need to be configured once in the TrailerConnect portal. Furthermore, once the trailer door has been closed, a general automatic lock can be activated at the touch of a button in the TrailerConnect portal or beSmart app.
Once configured in the TrailerConnect portal, risks are minimised and manual work as part of the transport process is reduced. All locking and unlocking processes are fully documented and can provide proof that the trailer was locked continuously during the entire transport.
In addition, tamper-proof seals featuring embedded sensors can alert dispatchers to unauthorised access, while temperature and vibration sensors detect mishandling.
Factory-installed GPS and geofencing
Trailers can now be geofenced directly from the factory, as the system creates a virtual boundary around a real-world location, using GPS and other location technologies to trigger actions or send notifications when a GPS-enabled device enters or leaves the defined area.
Smartphones or vehicle trackers are used to determine a trailer’s location.
Geofencing’s benefits include enhanced security by detecting unauthorised movement, improved operational efficiency through real-time arrival/departure notifications, proactively alerting facilities of an incoming vehicle.
Schmitz Cargobull has implemented geo-fencing capabilities in its S.KO COOL SMART box body semi-trailers so that the box body semi-trailer can only be opened within a specified radius.
Its TrailerConnect telematics functions allow transporters and operators to monitor safety-relevant freight at all times and react in a timely manner as required.
Other in-built trailer security measures include component serialisation and traceability using RFID tags and QR codes that are embedded in chassis components to ensure full traceability in case of theft or tampering.
Anti-theft devices, from wheel locks to immobilisers and panic-response systems, are gaining popularity as fleets are investing heavily in multi-layered deterrents.
With trailer, transport and logistics safety a multi-billion-dollar global issue, coupled with the increased use of AI and machine learning in monitoring, leading OEMs are partnering with secure logistics providers to maintain detailed handover logs and GPS-tagged delivery confirmations to preserve and maintain chain of custody protocols and ensure safety of goods.
To this extent there has been a growth in the use of devices to enable drivers and fleet managers to track handover points and verify identity through secure mobile platforms, often integrated with trailer telematics.
When trailers enter active duty, security becomes a shared responsibility between OEMs, fleet managers, and drivers. This stage introduces the broadest range of threat vectors—from opportunistic theft to insider sabotage.
TIP Group’s ‘DoorPlus’ solution provides additional security through its ‘door open sensors’ devices, which notify a monitoring system whether doors are open or closed. DoorPlus can detect door movements through a magnet attached to the door, linking to TIP’s FleetBeat-Cooler telematics device.
The system also detects and reports, in real time, changes in reefer temperatures and damaged trailer doors.
Image: Muratart/Stock.adobe.com
Telematics
Commercial vehicle telematics combines telecommunications, informatics and GPS positioning to monitor vehicle data which is shared with centralised fleet management systems.
Telematics also enables comprehensive tracking and analysis of the vehicles, as well as driver behaviour. There are now several telematics options for configuring door sensors, geo-fences, and alarms to identify unauthorised access or usage of assets.
TIP Group sees telematics as providing several solutions for the trailer market.
It says, by having all relevant information in one place, operators can respond faster, make consistent decisions, and shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive fleet management.
“We want customers to have all their insights in one place, whether they use our platform or connect via API to their own,” said TIP’s Operations Leader Digital Services, Christian Payne.
US-based OEM, Utility, has wholeheartedly adopted trailer telematics and tracking, integrating the Schmitz Cargobull TrailerConnect system.
The telematics platform gives fleet managers, dispatchers, and truck drivers access to real-time, actionable data—all in one place, integrating IOT sensors and data from various third-party applications, providing a complete, real-time view of a company’s fleet.
The trailer agnostic program enables dry vans, flatbeds and reefers across a fleet’s entire trailer portfolio to be tracked and monitored.
OEM, Krone Trailer sees telematics as a means to make trailer management digital and simple.
Krone’s smart operating system for trailers, the ‘KRONE Smart Assistant’, optimises logistics processes, where each trailer is equipped with an individual QR code, scanned to enable drivers to go to a digital interface, via a messenger service, such as WhatsApp, Telegram or Viber.
As a result, fleet managers and workshops are automatically informed of any damages or issues and can respond immediately.
In addition, legally compliant digital departure checks can be completed directly on the trailer using a smartphone.
The system automatically documents the results and even provides the driver with a PDF confirmation. Another special feature is mobile document access on the go – meaning that operating instructions, registration, maintenance records or ATP certificates can be accessed digitally at any time.
With its mykrone.blue, Krone also provides a new platform for digital trailer management.
“We built mykrone.blue because the market needs simple, effective solutions – not big words. Our customers want to know: Is my trailer running? Is it safe? What does downtime cost? That’s exactly why we provide the right tools with Smart Assistant and mykrone.blue – ready for immediate use, with measurable benefits,’ said mykrone.blue GmbH Managing Director, Maximilian Birle.
“We link data, services and interaction right down to the workshop world along the entire trailer life cycle – with a single goal: the best TCO with maximum uptime.”
With more than 1,700 partner workshops across Europe, the service offers standardised interfaces to leading TMS, ERP and telematics systems, and a modular e-commerce area for 24/7 contract management and service booking.
idem telematics, part of the BPW Group, offers what it sees as a specialised telematics service for the trailer market.
idem Managing Director, Jens Zeller, said: “Transport companies mainly operate mixed fleets with a wide variety of vehicle types and brands. When it comes to trailers and swap bodies, the combination possibilities are almost limitless.
“Transport companies want to maintain their independence and not be dominated by individual manufacturers.
“We enable transport companies to get started with trailer telematics safely and, on this basis, to develop individually. We also integrate third-party systems. There is practically no hardware or software interface that we cannot integrate.”
For the first time, using idem telematics’ devices, signals from doors, refrigeration units and tyres can be processed and controlled wirelessly and without intermediate devices (‘hubs’). “Truck-trailer telematics offers enormous potential for increasing safety and efficiency in transport. This benefits not only transport companies, drivers and their customers, but also the environment and climate,” said Jens Zeller.
“In the future, telematics connectivity should become as standard in trailers as brakes and rear lights.”
The Wielton Group sees its ABERG Connect system, which integrates modern driver assistance systems, semi-trailer technical monitoring and telematic fleet management, as the ideal response to the TSL market needs for increased efficiency, reduced downtime, and improved road safety.
Global logistics provider, Maersk, reported in its Logistics Trend Map 2025, that real-time tracking and automated fleet management have become “must-haves”.
“Real-time tracking empowers businesses to respond quickly to disruptions, streamline communication, and build customer trust,” Maersk stated.
“Logistics Service Providers are investing in creating more visibility in signals from containers and trucks fitted with IoTs, robotics in warehouses and more.”
Cyber-security threats
According to a 2024 Maersk survey cyber security was ranked 6th out of the top 15 trends by corporate decision makers.
Cyber security is critical for logistics, as rising digitalisation exposes the industry to growing cyber threats, Maersk reported.
According to Maersk, this was clearly highlighted during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the maritime sector experienced a 400 per cent spike in cyber-attacks.
The National Motor Freight Traffic Association’s (NMFTA) 2025 Trucking Cybersecurity Trends Report stated that “cybersecurity is poised to become one of the most pressing challenges fleets will face”.
“With the rise of artificial intelligence (A I)-enhanced phishing campaigns, increasingly sophisticated cyber-enabled cargo theft, and the rapid evolution of machine learning-based defence mechanisms, the landscape is shifting in ways that demand attention,” the report said.
“Threat actors are becoming more adept at exploiting vulnerabilities faster and more intelligently, leveraging advanced tools that make phishing, malware creation, and impersonation scams harder to detect and prevent.
“At the same time, cybersecurity solutions are evolving to meet these challenges, from enhanced threat detection to widespread adoption of Zero-Trust architectures and application programming interface (API) security.”
It said 2025 will see an increased utilisation of advanced evasive techniques, such as delayed phishing to avoid detection by the most advanced secure email gateways (SEGs) and other email security tools.
“With advances in large language models (LLMs) and other AI technology, phishing campaigns are increasingly difficult to detect. Deferred malicious links also continue to pose threats in phishing and credential theft schemes,” the report said.
With fleets using the Internet of Things in a greater capacity, the report said 2025 would be marked by fleets needing to apply best practices from Industrial Control Systems (ICS) by sourcing and deploying products with good cybersecurity controls baked into their design.
It said they would also need to take responsibility for deploying and configuring them with cybersecurity as a priority.
Despite OEM’s prioritising security and greater adaptation in heavy commercial vehicles of standards for onboard and connected systems, such as those issued by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO), there is still an issue of a lack of transparency into devices and a lack of user control of core security settings, the report said.
Hence, there would be greater pressure from the trucking and supply chain industry to move the OEM community toward increased transparency and continued focus on Secure by Design architecture.
Gartner’s industry analysis found that “since the release of Gen AI, attackers are increasingly employing tools along with large language models (LLMs) to carry out large-scale social engineering attacks, and by 2027, 17 per cent of total cyberattacks/data leaks will involve generative AI.”
Increases in cloud security solutions space to combat cyber security attacks could result in the combined market for cloud access security brokers (CASB) and cloud workload protection platforms (CWPP) reaching an estimated $8.7 billion USD (€7.4 billion) in 2025, up from $6.7 billion (€5.7 billion) in 2024, according to Gartner.
With North America’s trucking industry being increasingly hit by cyber security attacks, bodies, such as the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, is helping fleets increase their cyber security measures.
However, the concerns for the American transport industry, which is a key economic and employment provider, are not just from external sources.
With the merger and acquisition of fleet operators comes a list of associated threats, including staff turnovers, disgruntled employees and misaligned IT systems can create gaps in access controls, making insider theft harder to detect.
Furthermore, industry consolidation in a volatile transport industry, can unsettle established processes, particularly in depot security, enabling criminals to gain access to valuable assets.
An additional consideration in a merger or acquisition of transport companies is that newly acquired sites may not meet the security standards of parent companies, especially in developing markets.
Ultimately, the trailer and truck sectors will continue to be faced with numerous challenges and threats, and the most valid and appropriate response is to meet these head-on through the proactive and early adoption of security measures, from the factory floor to the highway.
Image: TIP Group.
