Auto Safety System Saves Lives, Fuel, & Greenhouse Gases

A system by MAXAIR that detects and automatically fills under-inflated tires with air is ready to roll but has not yet been made available by car manufacturers.

ORLANDO, Fla., June 7 -- A new auto safety feature could prevent the 30,000 accidents and 660 deaths that are blamed on under-inflated tires every year in the U.S. It can also save drivers a total of $5 billion in gas and reduce CO2 emissions by 250lbs per car annually.

"This feature is ready and available and could be on all new automobiles," says Clyde Stech, President, MAXAIR ATMI, Inc., which created the safety system. "It's a matter of consumers demanding it and auto manufacturers making it available."

MAXAIR not only detects when tires on cars, light trucks and SUVs are under-inflated, but it also automatically fills tires to the right pressure using air from an onboard compressor. But so far, auto manufacturers seem to be in the slow lane when it comes to offering this system on cars, SUVs and light trucks.

"Existing statistics show that MAXAIR will save lives, fuel, and greenhouse gases," says Stech, "it's as simple as that."

Additionally, similar systems have been in existence in the heavy duty trucking industry for over a decade. That industry has been experiencing the benefits of ATMI systems for years and now it is time for the automobile industry.

Monitoring systems currently on the market could be off by 20-30-percent and they only activate dashboard-warning lights to alert drivers that tire needs air. Drivers then need to find air to fill the tires. With MAXAIR, it's all done automatically and is accurate within 1-2-percent.

The cost: A lot less than most might think. An automobile parts manufacturer could supply the device to automakers for about $200 a vehicle.

About Clyde Stech: Now President of MAXAIR ATMI, Inc. in Orlando, Fla., Clyde Stech invented, pioneered, and patented tire inflation and other systems for the trucking industry in the late 1980's.

Interview Requests: Clyde Stech (pronounced "Steck") is available for television, radio and newspaper interviews.