What is Tyre Pressure Monitoring System ?

The Tyre Pressure Monitoring System warn you about under-inflated tyres to avoid the possibility of unsafe driving conditions.

Tyre plays a significant role in a vehicle, and once they start losing their 100 per cent of potential, they would create problems in terms of performance and safety. Most of us do not pay heed to tyres until they get punctured or have less air. We can’t even remember to regularly check the tyre pressure. Poorly inflated tyres can impact the performance of the vehicle, creating unsafe driving possibilities, apart from wastage of fuel, increase in travel time and cost, and on top of it, early tyre wear.

But with the advent of technologies such as the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), the need for manually checking tyres for inflation has been eradicated right to some extent. We will know everything about this technology in the following paragraphs.

Tyre pressure monitoring system

A Tyre pressure monitoring system or TPMS is an electronic system that monitors air pressure of tyres in real-time. This information is then, conveyed to the driver, either through a simple low-pressure indicator on the dashboard or the smartphone via the app.

The purpose of TPMS is to alert the driver about the one or more under-inflated tyres, which can create many problems in terms of performance and safety.

How does a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System Work?

The system can be divided into two different kinds; direct and indirect TPMS. Let’s discuss them briefly below:

Direct Tyre Pressure Monitoring System

Direct TPMS is the most preferred way of measuring tyre pressure. In this type, each tyre gets an individual sensor for monitoring pressure levels, besides wheel revolution data from ABS. Like a radio signal, the data is transmitted in real-time to the dashboard, and the driver comes to know the actual pressure levels. These sensors work on a battery that could be replaced whenever there is need to change them and stay updated.

Indirect Tyre Pressure Monitoring System

As the name denotes, the indirect TPMS does not depend on physical sensors but rather on the speed sensor of the wheel. The pressure levels are measured by monitoring the rate of revolution of each wheel makes, and the onboard computer then interprets this data with the relative size of the tyre. If a wheel starts to spin faster than usual, the computer automatically interprets that the tyre is underinflated and warns the driver.

In simple words, indirect TPMS measures the rotation of the tyres and transmits this data to the computer that will flash up the warning light when there is some problem in the rotation.

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Advantages of Tyre Pressure Monitoring System

There are several benefits of this safety feature which are as follows:

Longevity of tyres

Most of the time, tyre failure occurs due to underinflation. Poorly inflated tyres create thermal or mechanical overload, resulting in sidewall damage and premature wear and tear. Having tyre pressure monitoring system saves tyres from early deformation, as the driver gets tyre pressure levels in real-time.

Better fuel economy

Under-inflated tyres will not give optimum performance, instead put extra load on the engine that works hard to put the vehicle in a safe and stable condition. This extra effort consumes a lot of fuel, which could have been averted, if there was a tyre pressure monitoring system in place.

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Enhanced road safety

An under-inflated tyre creates unpredictable driving patterns, which can be dangerous, especially if the vehicle is at high speed. TPMS offer real-time information so that the driver can get to the nearest gas station for refilling the air to the correct levels.

Saves money and time

Having a TPMS in your vehicle saves money on various fronts including fuel, tyre replacement, downtime and even expensive repairs if the vehicle meets an accident due to underinflated tyres.

Even though the tyre pressure monitoring system gives accurate alerts, one should not forget the importance of manual air pressure check, which should be part of regular tyre maintenance.

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