NIRA Dynamics AB has received the 2008 Frost & Sullivan Award for Product of the Year in the European automotive chassis market. NIRA won for its TPI (for Tire Pressure Indicator) indirect tire pressure monitoring system, which it will launch in the United States later this year.
"NIRA has relentlessly pursued signal processing technology and innovation, which have been bred into the company's culture since its founding in 2001," said Frost & Sullivan Inc. in announcing the award.
"In the past, competitors have developed similar basic indirect tire pressure monitoring systems, which relied on rolling radius and circumference of wheel to detect under-inflation. However, as a result of the high investments involved and the lack of signal processing competence, these systems were not a match to NIRA's TPI system.
"Direct tire pressure monitoring systems may have volumes, but TPI has all the advantages to compete with them. Additionally, TPI is around 50% lower in price than systems supplied by its competitors."
NIRA launched its TPI in the Audi TT model in October 2006. It also was in the new Audi A4 and A5 in 2007.
TPI will be standard on the 2009 Audi A6, and will meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 138 in the United States, according to NIRA CEO and President Urban Forssell. (For more information, see "Forssell: Indirect TPMS will launch later this year," April 29, 2008).
The Frost & Sullivan Award for Product of the Year is presented each year to the company that has demonstrated excellence in new product development and shown innovation by launching a broad line of emerging products and technologies.
