Emerging Technology: Tire-Mounted Pressure Sensors

Courtesy of Continental.

It is always exciting to see what new gadgets are in upcoming vehicles. Each year, new technology is poured into the automotive space including sensors, radars, lights, entertainment, and safety devices. These new technologies are often a driving force for vehicle purchases. What new technology has emerged, and how can it affect repairability? Let’s take a look at tire-mounted pressure sensors.

Tire-mounted pressure sensors are like valve-mounted tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) but are built into or attached directly to the tire. According to Continental, advantages to intelligent tires are:

  • "True tire casing temperature without the influence of heat from the braking system"
  • "Will not be damaged during mounting or dismounting"

Continental also provides benefits of tire-mounted sensors:

  • "Improved tire runout
  • Minimize irregular tire wear
  • Improved safety
  • Reduced roadside breakdowns"

If a tire is being replaced on a vehicle that has tire-mounted sensors, consider ordering the correct tire with the factory mounted sensor. Can the sensor be removed and reinstalled on a different tire? Yes, Continental has sensors available separately and can be retrofitted. However, factory mounted sensors offer optimum positioning of the sensor and reduced installation time.

Today, this technology is offered on the commercial fleet and racing sides of the automotive industry. With the ever-increasing connected vehicles on the road, it’s only a matter of time before this technology will start to appear on production vehicles as well. With the added advantages of external monitoring and more data insight offered with tire-mounted sensors, OEMs and drivers could benefit from more precise tire data that can be sent directly to the driver.

Additional I-CAR Collision Repair News you may find helpful:
Common Procedures For Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
TPMS Without the Sensor in the Tire


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