TPMS and RFID
The installation of incorrect tyre pressure monitoring system software has led to the recall of certain Aston Martin models in Australia. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has reported the recall of V12 Vantage models sold between 1 August 2009 and 1 October 2012.
With tyre labelling virtually upon us and with TPMS kicking in at the same time (see the forthcoming October magazine's Company News section for more coverage on this), the market needs to know where it stands with regards to enforcement…as soon as possible. We know the Department for Transport has got the whole West coast rail franchise fiasco fallout to deal with, but without proper attention the strength of the imminent labelling legislation could be seriously undermined. Indeed many questions are already being raised. This point is emphasised by a photo currently doing the rounds on the Internet. It is small and of mediocre quality, but what is clear about the image is that it portrays two Chinese-produced tyres of the same size model, speed and load rating on top of each other in a warehouse. A common sight you might think until you realise that the two apparently identical products bear two different European labelling results. The first BB-71 and the second CC-71.
Everyone’s talking about the introduction of tyre labelling in November. But we should also be aware that at the same time that the so-called fridge labels are being mandatorily applied to tyres, another rule stipulating that all new cars must fit TPMS is being implemented. The law stipulates that all models homologated since July 2012 have to be manufactured with an appropriate Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). From 2014 it will be broadened to include all cars being sold into the market in order to cover any cars not yet mandated. What both dates mean is that there are going to be lots of TPMS equipped cars on the road very soon and tyre retailers need to be ready to service them professionally and take advantage of this business opportunities this provides. It also means that direct TPMS manufacturers are ramping up production in order to meet increased demand from both the OE and replacement markets.
Ask a leading tyre pressure monitoring system manufacturer what the future is for indirect TPMS and they will probably say there isn’t one. Tyres & Accessories asked this precise question of one of the biggest manufacturers in the business recently and the response was swift and somewhat in line with expectations. Of course direct TMPS makers have economic reasons not to like the solution offered by the competition, but is there more to it than that? As the European legislation mandating TPMS installation in every new vehicle comes into force, Tyres & Accessories engages with both sides of this debate.
Apart from the new venue, something else that you will quickly notice about this year’s Brityrex (which kicks off in just over a week's time) is the addition of a series of Tyre Talk seminars, designed to inform and provide a forum for discussion about some of the most pressing issues of the day.
During the US-based MINExpo International trade show, Bridgestone Corporation unveiled its market-ready tyre pressure monitoring system for OTR radials. Marketed under the B-TAG (Bridgestone Intelligent Tag) name, this new system functions by utilising Bridgestone-developed sensors to measure and report both tyre pressure and temperature in real time.
Car parts distributor CES (UK) has released its latest Workshop Essentials catalogue. Issue 9 contains 25 per cent more products than ever before, making it the biggest edition yet. Comprehensively redesigned with an entirely new look, it features some of the industry’s leading brands, such as Comma, Wynn’s, Kent Car Care, Sealey and Ring Automotive. Launched at Mecahanex 2012, the catalogue can be requested by calling CES (UK) or visiting its website.
Safety organisation TyreSafe held its annual communications briefing in September, where chairman Stuart Jackson looked back on the organisation's achievements and gave a taste of future initiatives.
He began with a brief history – TyreSafe was formed in 2006, with 14 members and held its first tyre safety month the following year. Since then it has mounted various campaigns, majoring on subjects such as pressure, tread depth, part-worn tyres and winter tyres, to name but a few. These campaigns have been staged across all media – print, TV, radio and online and the organisation's efforts were recognised when it picked up the Prince Michael Road Safety Award.
At its press conference during the IAA Commercial Vehicles show, Bridgestone Europe shared further details of its new Total Tyre Care programme, a range of complementary truck tyre programmes its says are designed to provide fleet customers with complete peace of mind.
Following its US launch earlier this year, Continental will soon roll out its ContiPressureCheck commercial vehicle TPMS in Europe. The early warning system was debuted locally at the IAA Commercial Vehicles show earlier today.
This year's Tyre & Fast Fit Awards are proving as popular as ever, with votes reaching the NTDA thick and fast, both by post and online. Voting ends on 14 September, so if you haven't yet voted for the main categories click on the link below, or copy this link into your address bar: http://www.ntda.co.uk/taff_voting_form.html.
The upcoming IAA Commercial Vehicles 2012 fair in Hannover, Germany will serve as an opportunity for Bridgestone to present its new Total Tyre Care programme. Describing Total Tyre Care, Bridgestone says it offers fleets “carefree tyre management through a flexible range of complementary truck tyre programmes.”
Concirrus Ltd has announced that it will add PressurePro’s Tyre Pressure Monitoring System technology to its Mobile Devices Telematics Market Place. The company is the developer of the open telematics OS and telematics hardware, and under the agreement, facilitated by Concirrus, Mobile Devices will integrate PressurePro’s tyre pressure information into the Morpheus embedded framework, allowing users easy access to the pressure data through a new set of standard APIs. The company says the agreement was prompted by the increasing need for reducing costs and risks related to under-inflated tyres, and to respond to legislation in Europe and the US promoting pressure checks and penalising those running on under-inflated tyres.
Advantage PressureProTM, LLC and Concirrus Ltd. are partnering to bring PressurePro’s TPMS options to the European commercial vehicle markets. According to the companies, the partnership agreement was prompted by the rapid increase in interest and need for reliable tyre pressure monitoring solutions in the commercial vehicle markets. The deal will draw on the value of the PressurePro products and the expertise of Concirrus' founders in the commercial vehicle telematics market.
The Irish Independent reports Michelin has acquired an interest in Irish firm Async Technologies, Ltd., provider of the TyreCheck range of hardware and software solutions, for 2 million euros. The newspaper writes that new filings with Ireland’s Companies Registration Office show Async Technologies to have recently finalised a 2 million euro investment from the French tyre maker, who received 27,185 Async shares in return. The Irish Independent notes that these shares, valued at 74.57 euros each, give Michelin a “significant stake” in Async Technologies.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
