Like many Australian adventurers, Shane Hingst has spent plenty of hours, or even days, broken down in the middle of nowhere. To fix the problem he invented Australia’s – and the world’s – first wheel bearing monitoring system for caravans, boat trailers and trucks.
Bugger that fishing weekend or beachside caravan park for a relaxing week. It’s being broken down in the middle of nowhere with collapsed wheel bearings or being buzzed by B-Doubles every few seconds on a freeway where the real action is. Sometimes though, a life changing serious accident can be the outcome or you can end up spending thousands in repairs and or on the retrieval of boats, caravans and trailers.
That’s why these two Australian engineers have just launched the world’s first smartphone wheel bearing monitoring system, determined to protect Australian travelers from the hidden hazards that cause thousands of wheel bearing failures on our roads each year while towing.
This invention will change the world of towing. And no doubt, prevent a great many headaches.
Shane Hingst sells coal hauling locomotives in Queensland for a living and as an engineer, he’s used to solving problems – big ones.
His invention is big and is aptly named Wheel Sensei. It’s the first of its kind to provide drivers with knowledge and real-time insights while towing a boat, caravan or trailer, ensuring they can make smarter decisions and avoid catastrophes and the unknown dangers that so often lead to wheel bearing failure.
The founders have significant experience in mining, rail and heavy industry and have witnessed their fair share of equipment failures, including their own trailer boat, over their combined 50 years of experience.
Co-founder, Jason LaPorte said, “Big things break more often than you think, and boats, caravans and trucks are no exception.
“Even with meticulous maintenance, wheel bearings can suddenly fail when confronted with a hazard on the road or an unseen impact while travelling.
“Wheel bearings are no match for poor road conditions and stress from driving. Hard breaking in traffic, uneven surfaces, potholes, and sharp cornering can produce forces that trigger disintegration in the bearings.”
And from that point, explains Jason, things deteriorate very quickly, and if a driver is not aware of the problem, they are soon dealing with the ramifications of bearing failure – missing wheels, broken hubs or bent axles, in place of the adventure ahead.
Wheel Sensei is the first product that uses smart sensors to send real-time notifications to the driver’s phone, alerting them of any bearing temperature changes, or elevated temperatures, and prompting them to act before a wheel bearing failure occurs.
A driver is not required to be watching their phone to be notified, the app runs silently in the background after a user logs in and generates a notification (much like a text message) if there is an issue. The driver can focus on their journey with the knowledge that Wheel Sensei will catch a problem before it catches them.
Wheel Sensei has been designed for easy installation, providing drivers with the knowledge and information to make smarter decisions to ensure their journey is safe, informed and in control.
Get in early and get yours now, as I’m guessing once word gets out, they will be hard pressed keeping up with orders and you’ll be waiting a while.
Ahh…Sensai
