BASE Air is a company at the leading edge of safety in the heavy vehicle industry. Founded in 2005 by Matthew Vaughan in Australia, the company focuses on Balance and Safety Enhancement (BASE) for heavy-duty vehicle stability. BASE Air’s technology is a pressure-control system capable of integrating into a vehicle’s existing air suspension, or available via select manufactures at vehicle assembly. By creating a circuit on each side of a heavy vehicle, the technology enables the suspension to respond independently to changing conditions on either side. This maintains stability for driver and freight, regardless of a vehicle’s environment.
When driving conditions are balanced such that the sides do not have to work independently, the technology is configured to connect the circuits via a Crossflow line to rapidly equalize pressure on both sides. Thus, by managing the flow of air in a dynamic, stimuli-responsive manner, BASE Air’s technology reduces driver fatigue, tire wear and fuel consumption, and also reduces damage to freight and roads.
Key elements to BASE’s Base Air® technologies include two custom-designed Height-Control Valves (HCVs) linked together by air lines of equal length and diameter. Through this propriety design, Base Air® provides the intended performance characteristics that have been shown to provide best-in-class ride and load stability.
If retrofit is required, Base Air® is a near bolt-on replacement of select components from major suspension OEMs, with average installation time being only six hours. The system integrates seamlessly, and has demonstrated the ability to reduce required intervention of electronic stability and braking control systems in heavy vehicles.
The system has been installed on prime movers, trailers, dollies, coaches, caravans, agricultural vehicles, pickup trucks, and select SUVs.
In November 2023, BASE Air was awarded the Safety Innovation Award at the 2023 Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) National Awards. The awards ceremony, held in Brisbane and attended by industry leaders and government representatives alike, celebrates the industry’s top innovations of the past year. BASE Air beat out five other finalists with safety innovations such as a portable fire-fighting module and a side view pedestrian protection system, taking home the award for their innovative pressure control system.
Base Air has testimonial videos on its website from various drivers and fleet executives touting improved stability, reduced tire wear, more driver comfort and less fatigue, and reduction in freight damage.
Protection of intellectual property is critical to BASE Air’s current and future success. BASE Air owns many patents in numerous jurisdictions around the world, including key markets such as the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan, China, South Korea, India, as well as South American and Middle Eastern countries. “Base’s patents have been examined and granted in numerous jurisdictions around the world, meaning that Base’s technology is novel and inventive over prior technologies,” explained Matthew Vaughan.
This robust patent protection ensures they remain at the leading edge of innovation and provides opportunity for wide-spread commercialization of their award-winning system.
Rothwell Figg has had the distinct honor and privilege of working closely with BASE Air to build BASE Air’s strong global intellectual property rights to protect its innovative technology.
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