Siemens Puts the Pressure on Tire Pressure Sensors

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 24 Siemens Automotive, one of
the world's leading providers of automotive electronics safety technology, has
developed a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) universal for all standard
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) tire makes and models.  The system will
make its market debut on a 2002 European vehicle application.
    
"This potentially is one of the best solutions to customer tire safety
concerns and the impending legislation requiring pressure sensors to be
standard on motor vehicles," said Jean Christophe Deniau, Siemens Automotive
Business Development Engineer.  "Unlike several other sensors under
development in the market, the Siemens solution also tracks the temperature
inside the tire, measures finite acceleration and is capable of automated
identification of individual tire locations."

    Smarter than the Average System
    By monitoring a tire's internal temperature, acceleration through rotation
speed, as well as pressure, the Siemens Automotive TPMS solution:

    *  allows data specific to each tire to be compared for inconsistencies
within safety and operational parameters;
    *  interval times between data updates can be automatically maximized for
near-real time monitoring or minimized when the vehicle is parked to prolong
battery and sensor life; and,
    *  is capable of automatically relocating individual wheel positions when
tires undergo routine maintenance, such as rotation or replacement.

    The Siemens Automotive TPMS solution can be integrated into vehicles as a
stand-alone application or synergistically combined with existing Siemens
remote entry and security products.

    The Stand-Alone Solution

    The Siemens stand-alone TPMS solution utilizes a pressure sensor with a
transmitter mounted in the rim flange of each wheel.  The sensor can be
adapted to fit a standard OEM rim and allows all areas of the surface to be
used in the tire mounting process.

    Behind the dashboard, a control unit integrated with a receiver and an
internal or external antenna gathers and processes the transmitted pressure,
temperature and acceleration information.

    Synergistic Solution

    In an effort to combat vehicle cost and weight penalties usually
associated with implementing new technologies, the tire pressure monitoring
system can be integrated with existing Siemens remote keyless entry
technology.  Using the same pressure sensor as the stand-alone solution, this
cost-effective approach eliminates the need to redesign existing technology or
to install an additional receiver and electronic control unit.

    Simply installing TPMS software into an existing Siemens remote keyless
entry electronic control unit enables its antenna and receiver to be used to
process transmitted tire pressure information, which is then sent across the
vehicle bus to a driver display.

    "The tire pressure information can be displayed as a basic dashboard light
alerting the driver to a developing situation," said Deniau.  "Or it can be as
detailed as an overhead console readout complete with tire diagnostic data and
pinpoint location information."

    Combining the functions of the Siemens remote keyless entry system and
TPMS maximizes each technology's capabilities to use less hardware and utilize
existing components to create cost advantages.