TPMS and RFID
SmarTire Systems Inc has announced that it has signed a contract with Dana’s Commercial Vehicle Systems group to market and sell SmarTire’s tyre pressure and temperature monitoring systems to the commercial truck, bus and RV markets.
EnTire Solutions, the joint venture between Michelin and TRW Automotive, says it will increase its direct tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) presence in North America for the new 2006 Hyundai Tucson and the 2006 Kia Sportage.
It is now becoming increasingly vital that dealerships across the country understand the fitting implications that run-flat tyres bring with them, Bridgestone has reported. As a result Bridgestone is promoting its free Run-Flat Certificate Programme, which offers training for tyre dealers and fitters across the UK. To date, in excess of 600 UK fitters and store managers have attained certification, and more than 400 machines have already been inspected and accredited by Bridgestone.
It is now becoming increasingly vital that dealerships across the country understand the fitting implications that run-flat tyres bring with them, Bridgestone has reported. As a result Bridgestone is promoting its free Run-Flat Certificate Programme, which offers training for tyre dealers and fitters across the UK. To date, in excess of 600 UK fitters and store managers have attained certification, and more than 400 machines have already been inspected and accredited by Bridgestone.
(Akron/Tire Review) In response to petitions, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced several changes to its tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) rule. First, the agency will roll back the compliance date for requiring TPMS information in vehicle owners’ manuals to 1 September 2006.
The British Rubber Manufacturers' Association has issued a statement, designed to answer some of the queries from both motorists and tyre depots, concerning self supporting run flat tyres (SSTs).
The BRMA notes that these are being increasingly fitted to new vehicles and are fast becoming an established feature of the tyre industry landscape.
The fact that many questions exist about their reparability, retreadability and whether they can be used with "conventional" tyres became apparent at the NTDA seminar, held alongside the Brityrex International exhibition in May.
In order to help answer these questions, the BRMA statement addresses the points that arise most frequently. It is reproduced here and can also be accessed on the BRMA website, www.brma.co.uk
Bridgestone is urging tyre dealers across the UK to better understand the implications of fitting run-flat tyres. Despite continuing investment in the technology and an increasing number of run-flat tyres on UK roads, there have been reports of a lack of knowledge within the industry about how these tyres could and should be fitted.
A sense of adventure, a crash helmet, and a certain level of balancing skills are ‘must-haves’ when taking a quad bike off-road. But with Goodyear run-on-flat ATV tyres fitted to your Kawasaki KLF400 you can leave the latter requirement behind, as amongst other characteristics, stability is one of their key features, even in extreme terrain. The tyres also afford freedom from worry and they put an end to solving stupefying situations such as how to recover an ATV vehicle with flat tyres that’s stranded in the middle of a muddy quagmire.
Despite its tyres’ advantages Goodyear is rarely talked about when it comes to ATV tyres; a market dominated by imported brands. Hence the manufacturer is keen to get a firm hold on the serious side of the ATV scene through the industry’s first run-flat ATV tyre. So serious in fact, that it invited Tyres & Accessories to compare, contrast and talk new tyre technology, during a day of quad biking.
Goodyear has been progressing the concept of an ATV run-flat since the 90s, a time when both ATV tyre sales and run-flat technology were increasing in importance. Its aim has always been to develop tyres for use on serious farm machinery, explained Goodyear Dunlop farm tyre specialist Mark Turner, and the run-flat version of the ATV tyre is a further extension of that aim.
There are two run-on-flat tyres available from the US manufacturer, the Tracker EMT, available for OE and replacement fitment and the Mud Runner EMT, designed exclusively for the replacement market. The Tracker EMT is available in 14 sizes, whilst the Mud Runner EMT is available in 10 sizes in 25-27 inches.
Like the more familiar passenger car run-flat, the ATV-EMT has a 50 mile run-on-flat capability, but only at speeds of 25mph. The sidewall reinforced tyre also mounts on standard ATV OE wheels which is key for the replacement market. In addition it offers the accustomed run-flat features such as reduction in damage to wheel and brakes as well as improved vehicle stability and manoeuvrability. With the low speeds that utility ATVs operate at there is no safety requirement for an accompanying TPMS as in the case of the car. Instead the insert contour of the tyre is designed so that the rider can feel the flat tyre whilst still benefiting from the run-flat performance.
As far as the ATV-EMT concept is concerned it appears to be a logical next step from passenger car run-flat developments. “Awareness of run-flat technology in general is increasing, they’re OE fitments are increasing on cars, and that helps sell the idea on an ATV, it’s simply a natural extension of passenger car tyre technology,” comments Mark Turner. The technology can prevent a disabling flat tyre, downtime due to repair and the need to carry repair kits. The ATV-EMT uses run-flat technology developed for the Goodyear high performance passenger car EMT tyre. It has a wide, flat bead for improved tyre/wheel retention with apex used to stiffen the sidewall and insure the correct bead shape.
The tyre was first shown at last year’s Cereals show where Goodyear provided a practical demonstration for visitors. However it has been available in the US since 1998, and was picked up by the ATV press in 2002 when a series of tests conducted by ATV Magazine declared the Mud Runner EMT as the “smoothest ride.”
Thanks to the higher margins the run-on-flats present a lucrative opportunity for dealers. Goodyear distributes its ATV tyres through national wholesalers and 10 dealers from its Farm Tyre Specialist Network. The British Rubber Company is the leading independent farm tyre specialist belonging to that network and according to Jason Reynolds the business is very successful with Goodyear ATV tyre sales. Mr Reynolds has in fact got Goodyear ATV run-on-flats fitted to his own quad bike and describes them as “marvellous” claiming that they have “transformed” the handling of his bike. “Because of the sidewall strength the tyres are a lot more rigid and stability is improved. You also have the added security that they will get you home if you get a puncture, I’ve had three punctures and each time the tyres have got me safely home,” commented Mr Reynolds.
The tyres seem to have the endorsement of the dealer but at a 20-25 per cent price mark up, is there a market out there amongst strapped-for-cash UK farmers? Jason Reynolds believes so: “Once somebody has tried the tyres and seen the difference in performance the cost isn’t really an issue. There is a market out there for them, especially with hill farmers who work 10-15 miles away from the farm, and use their ATV as a second tractor. I recently spoke to one of my customers about the tyres and they said that they’d never known a tyre last as well.”
Mark Turner also claims that the tyres are starting to sell well in the UK market, even though the manufacturer has yet to start its marketing campaign. Goodyear explains that it is now in a position where it has the stock available and can begin to push sales; needless to say ATV run-on-flats will soon be brought to the consumers attention. Goodyear’s farm tyre specialist is positive that the run-on-flats will share a similar success in the UK as they have in the US, adding that both ATV tyre and vehicle sales are growing in farming as well as in the recreational sector of the market. Goodyear’s current ATV line up may suit its farm business, but with all its tyres marked NHS (Not for Highway Service) it will not catch a glimpse of the increasing on-road sector in the near future, perhaps that will be its next move.
Beru AG’s preliminary first quarter figures show the company increased its total sales revenues in the first quarter by 14.5 per cent to 97.9 million euros. The company attributed the strong first quarter results to new product “start-ups” in the core division of Diesel Cold Start Technology and in the youngest division of Electronics and Sensor Technology, which includes TPMS sensors.
According to executive board chairman, Marco von Maltzan, the group now plans to achieve growth in sales revenues at a high single-digit percentages in its current financial year. The goal is for operating profit (EBIT) to increase at the same rate as sales revenues. Beru considers itself well positioned with its strong product pipeline, but expects weaker growth in the coming quarters in view of only moderate growth in demand for automobiles combined with an increasingly competitive environment and more aggressive pricing.
Beru AG has now introduced the 3rd generation of its own TSS Tyre Safety System. Beru engineers have succeeded in further reducing the number of parts for a convenient, functionally safe tyre safety system.
The system that has now been introduced consists of a compact control unit with integrated aerial, plus four electronic wheel-mounted devices; in them, the sensor, transmitter and battery are built into one unit. This development highlights Beru’s on-going attempts to reduce the system price.
Major tyre companies including Bridgestone Corporation, Cooper Tire & Rubber Co and Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co have sued the US government in order to block the introduction of a new TPMS regulation. The companies, joined by trade and consumer groups, claimed that the car and light truck regulation was inadequate to ensure safety.
(Akron/Tire Review) TIA expressed its disappointment that the National Highway traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) turned down the RMA’s petition to establish recommended cold inflation pressure using a tyre pressure reserve.
TIA had supported RMA’s petition, in which the association asked that NHTSA include in its TPMS regulations a stipulation that a reserve tyre pressure sufficient to allow tyres to carry the maximum load of a vehicle be included in the threshold for a TPMS trigger point.
The Tire Industry Association (TIA) has submitted a petition for reconsideration with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regarding the final rule on Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMSs).
“NHTSA has made what TIA believes to be a huge mistake and is moving backwards on the timeframe in which the telltale must illuminate upon sensing underinflation in a tyre,” states the petition. “NHTSA’s original proposal was that the telltale must go off within 10 minutes of sensing a problem with a tyre’s inflation. The final rule has moved backwards to 20 minutes. TIA is very concerned that this additional 10 minutes will allow an underinflated tyre to further deflate, overheat and potentially fail.”
(Akron/Tire Review) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has formally denied the Rubber Manufacturers Association’s petition to establish recommended cold inflation pressure using a tyre pressure reserve. The petition requested that NHTSA include a reserve tyre pressure sufficient to allow tyres to carry the maximum load of a vehicle at the new tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) regulation trigger point.
The Tire Industry Association (TIA) had supported RMA’s petition and expressed disappointment with the agency’s ruling. “We are disappointed that NHTSA decided not to build in an additional safety measure and grant the petition for reserve inflation pressure,” said Roy Littlefield, executive vice president of TIA, in a statement. “With this decision coming on the heels of the TPMS ruling, TIA is frustrated with NHTSA’s apparent lack of interest in what the tire industry has to say.”
Pirelli has introduced a range of interactive tyre technologies including the X-Pressure AcousticBlue, a bluetooth compatible tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and an upgraded version of its Safety Wheel self inflation system – now redesigned for SUVs. At the same time, the Italian manufacturer announced the expansion of its existing range of run flats.
According to the company, the X-Pressure AcousticBlue (available from September) is a world first. Pirelli reports that the development of this mobile based TPMS was motivated by the “often too broad and potentially insufficient” legal regulations. In response the company is offering high-level tyre pressure monitoring capabilities to anyone who owns a Blue Tooth compatible mobile phone. By utilising the new this system Pirelli is offering customers a higher level of tyre pressure awareness, the company says.
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