TPMS stands for Tyre Pressure Monitoring System. As the name suggests, this system monitors the air pressure in your car’s tires. It is an essential safety feature that can alert you when the tire pressure is too low. The TPMS sends an alert to your dashboard with a symbol that looks like a flat tire with an exclamation point in the middle, which typically flashes in yellow.
Driving with under-inflated tires can pose serious risks. They may negatively affect your car’s handling, lead to poor fuel economy, and even cause tire blowouts. So, how to maintain the tire pressure? Let’s discuss more in this article.
What are the Best Ways to Monitor Tire Pressure
The most effective method for tracking tire pressure remains using a reliable pressure monitoring system. These systems, due to their real-time updates and immediate alert system. It eliminates the need for manual checking and gives peace of mind to inexperienced drivers.
The TPMS warns you, giving you enough time and confidence to drive safely. Let’s talk more about types of tire pressure monitoring software and methods to maintain and monitor tire pressure.
- Direct Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
A Direct Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) is used to monitor tyre pressure in real time. The system consists of waterproof sensors placed on each tyre’s valve stem. These sensors are designed to precisely measure both the internal pressure and temperature of the tyre.
They then transmit this information to the central control unit, thereby providing both instantaneous and real-time data and storing it for historical reporting.
Beyond live tracking, the device also maintains a record of historical reports, generating a comprehensive data log over time. These reports can be important during regular vehicle maintenance, providing insight into the stresses placed on the vehicle’s tyres, identifying recurring problems, and assisting in predicting future issues.
- Indirect Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
The Indirect Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (iTPMS) works differently in comparison to the Direct Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (dTPMS). While the latter uses pressure sensors attached to each wheel, the former utilizes the existing hardware in your vehicle to infer tyre pressure conditions.
It relies on the principle that a deflated tyre has to rotate faster to keep up with the speed of properly inflated ones, as a deflated tyre has a smaller diameter.
Your vehicle’s ABS system notices these discrepancies via the wheel sensors. If one wheel is rotating faster (indicative of low pressure), a warning is triggered to highlight the problem. Simultaneously, the acceleration sensors can detect sudden changes in tyres due to puncture or rapid deflation, providing immediate alerts.
It is easy to maintain too as there are no additional sensors that can fail or get damaged. Since it relies on indirect methods of detection, it is important to calibrate it properly.
- A Quick Glance To Other Methods
- Manual Pressure Checks
This traditional method involves using handheld pressure gauges to regularly check each tire’s pressure. A delivery van fleet might have drivers check tire pressure each morning before they start their route. This simple method allows the driver to ensure the van is safe to drive and can prevent potential issues.
- Telematics System
Telematics systems can monitor numerous parameters of a vehicle, including tire pressure. They can provide real-time data remotely to a fleet manager. A city bus company, for example, might use telematics systems to monitor their vehicles constantly. This ensures a bus with low tire pressure doesn’t leave the depot, which could cause delays or, worse, an accident.
- Predictive Maintenance
Predictive maintenance solutions use artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict when a tire might need inflation or replacement. This information can save costs and reduce downtime due to tire-related issues. For instance, a rental car agency might use predictive analytics to estimate when a tire on one of their cars might need to be replaced, based on mileage and pressure data.
- Pressure Monitoring Valves and Valve Caps
These simple devices can give a visual indication of the tire pressure level. This low-tech solution can help drivers of rental cars or shared corporate vehicles to notice at a glance if a tire is under-inflated.
- Regular Scheduled Maintenance
This method involves routine checking of tire pressure during regular vehicle maintenance. For instance, a taxi company might have their cars checked every week, which allows any issues, including incorrect tire pressure, to be identified and resolved early.
Read Blog: Tire Pressure Monitoring System – Working, Benefits and Cost
Maintaining and Monitoring Tyre Pressure in a Fleet With TrackoBit
Having a tyre management system like TrackoBit’s can significantly ease the process of maintaining and monitoring tire pressure in a fleet and here’s how:
- SaaS Integration
Software as a Service (SaaS), like TrackoBit, can greatly improve the monitoring of tire pressure, ensuring safety and efficiency in different sectors. This is because it uses advanced technology and software to provide real-time updates and data, enabling continuous surveillance and rapid response to any irregularities.
For example, in the logistics and transportation industry where fleets of vehicles are deployed daily, implementing TrackoBit could mean the difference between a successful delivery and a costly delay.
The SaaS can continuously monitor the tire pressure of each vehicle in the fleet. If any of them report low tire pressure, instant notifications can alert the fleet manager or the driver themselves so that necessary preventative measures can be taken immediately.
- Customized Solutions
Also, TrackoBit is not just a SaaS for tire pressure monitoring; it also offers customized solutions specifically built for different industries. This means that the software goes beyond general monitoring and can address specific issues relevant to particular sectors.
TrackoBit could implement a solution that alerts the maintenance team to the need for a routine tire pressure check whenever a vehicle returns from a rental period.
Read More: How Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems Reduce Fuel Consumption
Conclusion
In summary, the tyre pressure monitoring system in a vehicle operates as an early warning system that allows you to deal with low tire pressure in a safe and controlled manner.
It is a potentially life-saving feature that helps maintain tire pressure at safe levels, thereby ensuring optimal vehicle performance and safety.
Why TrackoBit?
Well, TrackoBit customizes its SaaS platform to accommodate user-specific needs and industry-specific requirements, hence contributing significantly to better tire pressure management and overall vehicle maintenance.
