SmarTire Systems Inc announced that Optima Bus Corporation has selected SmarTire to supply tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) on its buses, including those units that Optima will manufacture for the Chicago Transit Authority. Optima is a leading manufacturer of medium-size mass transit buses, including the Opus Low-floor Bus and American Heritage Streetcar.
Quik-Chek is a simple, inexpensive way for motorists to monitor their vehicle’s tyre inflation. Proper tyre inflation is critical to a vehicle’s performance and safety, yet a lot of people pay little or no attention to it. According to one Quik-Chek distributor, many professional service providers don’t consistently perform this important maintenance/safety check unless a consumer specifically requests it. All users have to do is replace their valve stem cap with a Quik-Chek and leave it there. From that point forward, all you have to do is Press ‘n Check to gain an instantaneous reading that lets you know if your tyres are properly inflated.
Medtec Ambulance Corporation, an Oshkosh Truck Corporation company, is to include the SmarTire active tyre pressure monitoring system as an option for new and existing ambulance vehicles. Medtec is a leading North American manufacturer of custom ambulances and is the second Oshkosh Truck Corporation company to offer SmarTire products. The first was Pierce Manufacturing Inc., North America’s leading manufacturer of fire and safety apparatus.
Pirelli Tire North America hosted dealers and media as the Milan-based company introduced its newest addition to its highly respected Scorpion light truck/SUV tire range, the Scorpion ATR.
Over 150 dealers and media will be participating in the introduction staged at Bellagio, Las Vegas, with product testing scheduled for Las Vegas Motor Speedway and southern Nevada’s Valley of Fire. Participants will also have the opportunity to experience Pirelli’s expanded range of Run Flat tyres and the new X-Pressure Optic tyre pressure monitoring system.
The Office of Defect Investigations at the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating consumer complaints that the 2004 and 2005 Toyota Sienna’s tyre pressure monitoring/regulation system can fail.
In one incident, a consumer reported that by the time he pulled his Toyota Sienna to the side of the road the tyre was smoking and had burst into flame but the warning light failed to come on, according to consumeraffairs.com.
“With under-inflated tyres responsible for 6 per cent of all fatal motorway accidents – why isn’t more done to prevent tyre pressure?,” asks tyre pressure monitoring company, TPM Systems. For as little as 1p a day says it an bring a range of systems to the motorist. The Quik-Chek has been developed as a safe and quick way to accurately gauge tyre pressure – by simply pressing a button. However, while the gauge design is, by its very nature a direct monitoring system it does not update drivers in realtime or while they are driving. On the other hand it must be significantly cheaper than the aftermarket alternatives.
SmarTire Systems Inc has announced that it will supply Prevost buses with tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) that also monitor tyre temperature. The TPMS will come as standard on Prevost’s H-series bus.
Michelin has appointed Cape Town based Stingray as official licensee in Southern Africa to distribute its stylish new range of high-performance automotive accessories.
The new products have been created to the highest technical specification, combining innovative features with ease of use and stylish design.
(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.
Tyre Pressure Monitor (UK) Ltd. has signed an exclusive deal with Automotive Aftermarket Products, of Coral Springs, Florida, for the distribution of the “Quik-Chek” Tire Pressure Monitor for the UK and Republic of Ireland.
When the tyre has been inflated to the desired pressure, Quik Chek fits on to the tyre valve. To check pressure, the button on the Quik Chek is depressed and a colour-code indicates whether the tyre is at the correct pressure, or over- or under-inflated. It works at pressures from 20-44 p.s.i. (1.4- 3.0 bar).
(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.”
Preliminary full year figures show that Beru AG increased total sales revenues by 9 per cent in the year ended 31 March 2005. Meanwhile the company conceded that sales of tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) failed to meet expectations. Beru’s 9 per cent sales figure fell just short of the company’s growth target for the 2004/2005 year. Beru had aimed to achieve 10 per cent growth during the course of the year.
Omitec, a leading UK independent test equipment manufacturer, has launched a new product to test vehicle tyre pressure monitoring valves. The product called OmiDetect 150 establishes if a wheel valve in a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is operating.
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