Siemens VDO Brings Piezo TPMS Technology to IAA

While many attended the IAA in Frankfurt to admire the crisp styling of the latest vehicle models and concept cars, for others the technology lying beneath the skin of a car is every bit as beautiful. To satisfy the cravings of these technophiles, a number of companies chose the motor show as a venue for showing off tomorrow’s standard features.

Amongst these was Siemens VDO, who brought its next generation, battery free piezo element tyre pressure monitoring system to Frankfurt. Integrating the sensor, communications system, identification electronics and processing in a single module located directly in the tyre, the Intelligent Tire System (ITS) automatically detects tyre data and transfers the data to the system controls. When necessary, the driver receives critical tyre information, such as the tyre pressure and the vehicle’s load status. To support the optimised functioning of these systems, important tyre status information also can be transmitted to other electronic vehicle systems, such as the braking assistant, stability control, or the drive control system.

Furthermore, Siemens VDO plans to integrate the ITS into car-to-car communication and mobile safety networks. For example, a tyre equipped with ITS could collect road grip data and transmit the information to other drivers alerting them of road conditions – thus making the tyre “intelligent.”

Siemens VDO’s ITS system utilises a piezo element to replace the battery. Piezoelectricity is a crystal’s ability to generate a voltage in response to applied mechanical stress. The piezoelectric effect is reversible in that piezoelectric crystals, when subjected to an externally applied voltage, can change shape by a small, precise and repeatable amount. With the ITS, the piezo effect is used to generate the electrical energy for the system through the rotation of the tyre. The company’s first generation ITS will be ready for series production in 2011.