Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. reports it will launch a new tire air pressure monitoring system in July called HiTES.
HiTES is designed to measure and control air pressure and internal temperatures in bus and truck tires and will be a first in Japan for such vehicles, says the company. It is the first fruit of Yokohama Rubber's Tire Management System (TMS) program.
HiTES is the acronym for Hi-Technology Tire Engineering System. Yokohama Rubber has exhibited it since 1998 at truck and motor shows as a TMS tool. At this juncture, the plan is to market the system in limited quantities to transportation firms and bus operators through the company's tire sales subsidiaries, the company reports.
The new setup provides easily understood numerical information on tire pressure and internal temperature.
It is comprised of a sensor unit, a signal receiver, a display and an LED indicator. Real-time sensor units on the tire rims retrieve data that passes through a signal receiver to a display in the cab.
Also near the driver is an LED indicator that uses color changes to show air pressure status. This setup allows drivers to confirm air pressure in real time, greatly reducing the time needed to conduct checks before driving. Unlike visual checks by drivers themselves, the system provides accuracy and automation to the confirmation process.
Yokohama Rubber is working to develop a range of systems and products as part of its TMS, which provides complete administrative and operational support.
TMS is designed to optimize such tire performance factors as driveability, durability and fuel consumption. This system offers total support for tire administration and operations based on tire inspection data, says Yokohama.
It integrates data on tire wear, air pressure, temperatures and remaining tread through a computer system for comprehensive tire management. This allows for proper tire replacements and rotation timing, while enabling operators to oversee the use of tires under optimal conditions.
