Types Of Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
Maintaining proper tire pressure is very important for the safety and performance of a vehicle. Proper inflated tires can decrease a vehicle’s fuel consumption, thereby increasing fuel efficiency, as well as it can help extend tire life. When you drive your car on tires with low pressures, it somehow also affects the car’s handling and performance. In order to keep all these things checked, an automated Tire Pressure Monitoring System or TPMS can help you by monitoring the vehicle tire pressure continuously. These systems are designed to increase safety, decrease fuel consumption, and improve vehicle performance.
There are two types of tire Pressure monitoring systems. They are:
- Direct Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems: Direct pressure monitoring systems have separate radio sensors for each wheel of a vehicle. Different sensors fitted on each wheel detect deflation, generate accurate warnings and can alert the driver instantly through radio frequency signal. These signals are transmitted from inside of the tire to the instrument cluster of the car. Besides, such a system can also detect gradual air loss in the tires over time. In addition, there are some direct monitoring systems that use dashboard displays with an option that enables the driver to check current tire pressures from his seat.
- Indirect Tire Pressure Monitoring systems: Indirect pressure monitoring systems use the vehicle’s antilock braking system to read the tire pressure signals. These systems do not use physical sensors. Their principle of working is based on the concept that under-inflated tires have slightly smaller diameter than normal or properly inflated tires. They use the antilock braking system’s wheel speed sensors to compare the rotational speeds of individual wheels in order to detect tire pressure. People often consider having indirect pressure monitoring systems over direct ones, because they are free of maintenance. But, they also have many shortcomings, such as they do not tell the driver which tire is low on pressure. They also do not warn the driver, if all tires are losing pressure at the same rate.
