Preventative maintenance has long been the key to vehicle longevity. To keep your car in top shape, you should keep an eye on monitoring systems and early warning signs. As soon as your car indicates overheating, you refill your engine fluids to prevent permanent damage; if you spot a tiny crack in the glass, you fix it before your entire windshield breaks; if your Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), tells you to check your pressure, you pull over at the next fuel station and top up the air in your tyres. The next generation of tyre sensors won’t just monitor tyre pressure, but also register abnormal temperatures, detect small punctures, predict hazards and alert car owners or drivers before the damage is done.
Intelligent tyre sensors…
The main reason you want to maintain optimum tyre pressure is car safety – after all, around 40% of all sudden wheel breakdowns are due to underinflated tyres. Paying attention to the TPMS and topping up air as needed also improves your car’s efficiency and sustainability. Maintaining the correct tyre pressure saves fuel and increases mileage every time you drive. It also mitigates the risk of flat-spotting, makes your car more responsive, protects against hydroplaning and enhances braking grip and directional stability.
Today’s TPMS sensors, mandatory in many countries and offered as standard equipment in most new cars, already provide the information you need to maintain the perfect pressure. But what about the other aspects of tyre health that often remain invisible until it’s too late? Smart sensors will keep an eye on them, so that you don’t have to.
Tyre tread grips the road as you drive and is vital in maintaining traction and controlling the vehicle, particularly in wet weather. Smart sensors will let you know when the tread is so low that the tyres should be replaced.
Tyre temperature often increases before a blowout, giving an indication that something is wrong. Smart sensors will also warn you of temperature changes, indicating moisture (snow, rain, ice) or other hazardous road conditions.
Tyre failures like small punctures can be a big pain, especially if a slow leak goes undetected for too long. Smart tyre sensors will alert you immediately, preventing further damage to the tyre and minimising the risk of accidents, thus drastically improving automotive safety.
If you are already used to driving with a TPMS, then our smart tyre sensors won’t make a big difference to your driving experience – but they will vastly improve your peace of mind. ContiSense™ technology constantly transmits information on road conditions and the tyre health. As long as you don’t get an alert, you’ll have nothing to worry about. When you do, you’ll know how to act immediately and preventively. Sensors embedded in a conductive rubber layer measure inflation pressure and tread depth, as well as tyre and road temperature. They can also provide updates on dangerously low tread, and immediately determine if a nail or road debris has punctured the tyre, providing an almost real-time alert.
In future, intelligent tyres won’t just let you know that they need attention, they will even be able to service themselves on the fly. The tyre will communicate with the car that it requires a service, and centrifugal pumps built into the tyres can adjust tyre pressure and even the tread, based on driving conditions. You’ll be able to relax and enjoy the drive, knowing that nothing will stop your wheels from rolling smoothly.
Want to know more? Tyres of the future...
