Tire Pressure Monitoring Is Automatic with New Tire IQ System

First Direct Battery-less Tire Measurement Technology Available from Goodyear, Siemens VDO Automotive

AKRON, Ohio, March 5 -- A unique tire-based pressure monitoring system was unveiled this week by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and Siemens VDO Automotive.

The new Tire IQ system relays specific tire information to drivers, and provides appropriate warnings when improper inflation is detected.

"With the Tire IQ system, we're making tire care as easy as monitoring fuel levels," said William M. Hopkins, Goodyear's vice president, product and technology planning. "A quick glance at the instrument panel will instantly let drivers know if their tires are properly inflated for efficiency and safety."

Goodyear and Siemens introduced the Tire IQ system this week in Europe at the Geneva Motor show. Also this week, the companies are reviewing Tire IQ technology at the SAE World Congress in Detroit and at the Tire Technology Exposition in Hamburg, Germany.

Goodyear is in discussions with several major vehicle manufacturers, and Hopkins anticipates this technology could be available on new vehicles as early as the 2006 model year. Samples and demonstrations are now available to original equipment manufacturers for evaluation. The system enables vehicles to comply with new government regulations such as the United States' TREAD Act that mandates low pressure warning capability in cars and light trucks.

"We are excited to offer our customers a tire-based product that combines the benefits of pressure monitoring and radio frequency identification (RFID)," Hopkins said.

Drivers receive messages on the instrument panel based on current tire inflation levels, the rate of any pressure leak, and the time and distance traveled below the recommended level.

"At the first level, drivers receive a convenience message that simply makes them aware of any inflation deficiency in one or more tires," Hopkins explained. "They're prompted to add air the next time they stop for fuel." This situation might be prompted by conditions including carrying extra weight or traveling at higher rates of speed.

"If air pressure in one or more tires is deemed critically low, a warning message is displayed, together with a calculated number of miles to correct the situation," Hopkins said. Critical limits could be a threshold established by a law such as the U.S. TREAD Act, or by a manufacturer-defined minimum.

The Tire IQ system works through a "tire tag" developed by Goodyear and Siemens. This tag, comprised of a computer chip and sensor that monitors tire temperature and air pressure, is about the size of a watch battery and is built into the tire. The information is relayed to the driver via a radio communications system developed by Siemens.

The technology includes jointly developed software that calculates recommended tire pressure based on data including air temperature, tire pressure, tire load, vehicle speed and other driving habits.

Goodyear is the world's largest tire company. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, the company manufactures tires, engineered rubber products and chemicals in more than 90 facilities in 28 countries. It has marketing operations in almost every country around the world. Goodyear employs about 92,000 people worldwide.