TPMS and RFID
Bridgestone UK has been offering training programmes to service providers, and more recently its customer technicians, across a wide variety of high-interest topics for several years. More recently the tyre manufacturer has been assessed by the Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE) for its ‘Wheel Security Training Course’ and is said to have passed with flying colours.
On 1 November 2012 a two year phase-in schedule for the introduction of TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring systems) begins and all vehicles type approved after this date must install TPMS systems, as well as all vehicles manufactured after 1 November 2014. In preparation, the NTDA is running a series of regional workshops, offering practical advice to its members on the servicing of TPMS. Ahead of the workshops, the NTDA polled members to gauge how aware the tyre trade is of TPMS and whether members are geared up for its introduction.
Two new companies – Autogem Motor Concepts and Euro Car Parts join three regular finalists in this category, with those three being Apaseal, Harvie Tyres and Rema Tip Top Automotive. This category has seen a number of different winners over the years – will there be another new name for 2011?
The Nexion Group’s Corghi brand has introduced its new tyre changer line, named Master Code. Corghi explains the name was chosen “to recall that Corghi has the tyre changer evolution in its DNA”. Master Code was presented in Bologna at Autompromotec 2011, as a worldwide preview, and the company was encouraged by the interest shown by attendees. It will next be exhibited in Paris at Equip’auto and in Las Vegas’s SEMA show, the latter being its North American debut .
Autodata, the technical information publisher, has secured a contract with National Tyres and Autocare, to supply its network with vehicle maintenance data through its Online 3 product. The contract will enable National Tyres’ staff to access Autodata’s database of technical information online from any of its 220+ branches.
TyreSafe has announced that it will begin quarterly communications briefings on 7 September, issuing an open invitation to existing TyreSafe members and other interested parties such as road safety professionals, fleets or even company HR managers. The briefing will tackle the organisation’s upcoming campaigns, launching campaign materials for this October’s tyre safety month, the organisation’s new website and a range of online resources, and is designed to allow members and non-members alike to plan and integrate their own activities around them. Anybody wishing to attend the free event can do so by registering with TyreSafe by calling 01787 226995.
For 30 years, since the Space Shuttle first entered service, Michelin North America has been a part of the programme. The tyre maker has been the exclusive supplier of the enormous tyres that rode on all five Shuttles, which have flown a total of 135 missions over 30 years. On July 8 the Space Shuttle Atlantis blasted off on its final mission from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. When it returns on July 20, Michelin will revert, for the time being at least, to solely supplying earthbound vehicles.
A team of NASA scientists have been honoured for a development that has the potential to further increase tyre safety. The scientists, which are based at NASA’s Langley Research Center, were named winners of the 49th Annual R&D 100 Award for their work in developing the “SansEC Temperature Sensor.”
Following the demonstration its new tyre pressure monitoring system at the Vienna-based ‘e-Safety Challenge 2011’ event on May 31, Bridgestone Europe has announced plans to roll out its commercial vehicle system across Europe during the course of this year. The system is being rolled out as a tool within Bridgestone’s Total Fleet Management package.
Transense, the saw-wave RFID company that has developed the Translogik range of TPMS and related technologies, has made “huge progress” in the last three years. That’s the view of the firm’s board which released an AGM statement on 29 June lauded the businesses improvements. “Transense is now in a position to leverage its technological expertise and a much broader range of technical projects are now underway. In fact, there are more live development projects now than at any time in the company's history, such that the medium to long term future looks promising,” the statement explained.
Merityre Specialists Ltd is celebrating the company’s golden jubilee having supplied tyres, batteries and exhausts to motorists for 50 years. The company was formed in Sunbury on Thames in 1961 and now operates 21 branches throughout Southern England.
Transense has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Translogik Limited recently took a further order for “a number” of Truck Tyre Inspection Kits from Goodyear Dunlop for its FOS (Fleet Online Solution) Mobile programme. This relationship began 18 months ago when Goodyear Dunlop began integrating the Translogik tyre inspection probe to work with its FOS system.
A HiQ fast fit manager has revealed his frustration at the preponderance of acronyms in the automotive industry – a state of affairs he describes as “infuriating”. Stuart Carr says he has been driven to distraction by the creeping usage of perplexing acronyms in manufacturers’ manuals. Carr said: “I actually enjoy picking out a manual from the glove box and having a read through, but upon recent inspection I stumbled across reams of unnecessary jargon.
Amongst the new products on display at the Autopromotec 2011 show in Bologna, which begins today, is the ‘sens.it’ universal replacement sensor for TPMS systems. This sensor, developed by German firm Alligator Ventilfabrik, is being brought to the market in partnership with Ireland’s TyreCheck and is said to cover 90 per cent of all original equipment TPMS. It is being shown at Autopromotec along with TyreCheck’s ‘Incontact’ tyre retailer sales and marketing solution.
At this year’s eSafety Challenge, which begins in Vienna on May 30, Bridgestone will present and demonstrate two new tyre pressure monitoring systems. The patented commercial system that Bridgestone will demonstrate features a valve containing a built-in radio frequency unit that screws onto the valve stem; a passenger car version integrated to a snap-in valve will also be demonstrated.
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