Unlike other TPMS solutions, it sends data back to a central server for analysis. Data is securely sent using both cellular and satellite communications to achieve connectivity virtually everywhere, irrespective of 4G signal strength. In-cab presence is limited to a dash-mounted warning light.
The TyreWatch server receives tyre data in real time and publishes it to the secure web portal and through a series of instant push notifications. This delivers visibility on the condition of every tyre in the fleet.
The server continuously analyses the data against specific baselines for each vehicle. Should it identify an escalating pressure or temperature trend, the system recommends appropriate corrective action.
Another unusual feature is that it continues to monitor pressures after the vehicle has finished for the day, at a reduced frequency (every 15 minutes).
TyreWatch is the product of the Pathway to Autonomous Commercial Vehicles consortium, comprising Tructyre Fleet Management, RL Automotive, Satellite Applications Catapult and the University of Portsmouth, which received £1.2 million of government funding. TyreWatch is built on open system architecture allowing integration with technology already installed by vehicle manufacturers.
In other news, UK technology company Wheely-Safe has launched a new easy-to-fit tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) for car, van, minibus, plant and trailer operators, now branded by Michelin. It is intended to make keeping on top of tyre pressures simple for drivers and fleet managers.
A first fleet-focused product, Wheely-Safe Light, is a low-cost retrofit system suitable for use on tyres with pressures from 22-86psi.
It comprises a set of TPMS sensors that replace the traditional valve caps and auto-pair with a small solar-powered windscreen display to alert the driver of any tyres in distress through loss of pressure, fast leakage or an increase in temperature – often the sign of an impending tyre blowout. It also includes a contactless tyre pressure checker that, when held next to the sensor, displays the exact pressure via the digital readout – without the hassle of connecting a pressure gauge to the valve. The system can monitor up to 12 tyres per journey. Wheely-Safe will launch a combined TPMS and early-warning wheel loss sensor for heavy commercials in 2018.