SmarTire Systems Inc. says it has successfully completed the initial test phase of a new battery-less tire pressure and temperature monitoring system.
The new SmarTire technology involves a passive sensor inside each tire that is energized by an antenna located within each wheel arch.
SmarTire says eliminating the battery in the sensor greatly reduces its weight, size and cost. In addition, battery disposal issues are eliminated.
With the new system, tires can be rotated or changed without re-programming the system. It also tracks tire revolutions, an important variable in predicting tire life.
"While aspects of this technology do exist in other forms, our engineers have successfully applied and extended its functionality to satisfy the particular demands of tire monitoring," says Robert Rudman, SmarTire´s CEO and president.
It will take at least a year for SmarTire to commercialize this new technology, he adds.
Battery-powered tire monitoring systems transmit pressure and temperature information from sensors inside the tires to a receiver located within the vehicle.
