OICA: TPMS will save 14.5 million tons of CO2 annually

Since 2014, new cars in the EU need to be equipped with Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS). There are two types of systems, hardware based direct TPMS (dTPMS) and software based iTPMS (something that was previously commonly known as in-direct TPMS). The purpose of the study was to investigate whether both types of TPMS serve their purpose, lead to properly inflated tyres, hence reducing CO2-emission and increasing traffic safety.

In co-operation with OICA, NIRA Dynamics (itself a leader iTPMS-maker) together with Dunlop Tech, TÜV Nord and TÜV Süd have checked nearly 1500 cars in Sweden, Germany and Spain between December 2016 and August 2017. Inflation pressures, tyre dimensions and temperatures, load states and TPMS fitment of randomly chosen cars at filling stations and shopping malls were collected.

“This is the first time that such a study covers vehicles with dTPMS, iTPMS and vehicles without TPMS. There is a strong lobby claiming iTPMS were inferior to dTPMS, probably because of the higher profit margin on the hardware-based system, but without stating factual evidence. Together with OICA, we simply wanted to find out the real facts and end this discussion once and for all. So we started collecting data from the real world and got the other partners in the boat to ensure that everything is done accurately and properly” says Jörg Sturmhoebel from NIRA Dynamics.

The key result is that TPMS-equipped cars, independent of technology, have a 3 per cent higher average tyre inflation pressure than those without TPMS. With properly inflated tyres rolling lighter, this leads to a reduction in fuel consumption of about 0.3 per cent. That does not seem much, but for all the passenger cars in the EU, this will add up to about 14.5 million tons less CO2 emission every year.

In terms of safety, the fitment of TPMS reduces the number of tyres that are severely underinflated by more than 50 per cent. The severely underinflated tyres found in the study either were all on cars without TPMS or already detected by the TPMS in the car, but the driver chose to ignore the warning. Even though some drivers do not understand the importance of tire maintenance, TPMS will save at least 60 lives and more than 3000 injured annually in the EU.

Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Sweden, NIRA Dynamics focuses on “sensor fusion”, providing “value-adding services for safety, advanced driver assistance and autonomy functions in the global vehicle industry”. Customers include some of the world’s leading car manufacturers, such as Audi, Volkswagen, Seat, Skoda, Volvo, Fiat and Renault.