Abstract: There is disclosed a communication system for delivering power and control signals to control the activation of electrical components in a vehicle comprising: a power source for generating a power signal to supply power to the electrical components; a computer controller for generating control signals to control operation of the electrical components; a slave unit operatively connected to both the power source and the computer controller to receive the control signals and to convert the control signals into data signals for transmission to the electrical components; a power supply line for carrying the power signal, or the power signal and the data signals, from the slave unit to each electrical component; and a master unit located remote from said slave unit and configured to receive the data signals from the slave unit and to verify the data signals for further delivery to the required electrical component.

Abstract: A usage recordal system for a towed vehicle includes a distance measurement sensor for measuring data representative of distance travelled by the towed vehicle, a road surface quality sensor for measuring data representative of road surface quality for the measured distance travelled by the towed vehicle, and a processor for receiving the data representative of distance travelled by the towed vehicle and the data representative of road surface quality for the measured distance travelled by the towed vehicle and for combining the data to provide data indicative of the distance travelled by the towed vehicle over a variety of road surface conditions.

Abstract: An energy management system for a towed vehicle includes an energy harvesting system for harvesting electrical energy from the energy of the towed vehicle, an energy storage system for storing the harvested electrical energy, and a computer controller for controlling the release of the stored electrical energy to one or more components of the towed vehicle for operating the towed vehicle.