The appropriate tire pressure in each of the vehicle wheels is a significant factor in the road/vehicle interface system to ensure the comfort and security of the passengers, and it also contributes to an economical operating cost of the vehicle.
A complex number of parameters impact the tire/road surface interaction. The tire pressure is currently the only adjustable element. Periodic verification of individual levels of tire pressure and the sporadic visual inspection by the driver for detection of a defective condition of the tire(s) do not assure optimal functioning of the vehicle.
The increasing demand for even safer vehicle performance, and the growing sophistication of automotive electronic equipment, place a new emphasis on the road/vehicle interface, including the desirability to monitor tire pressure in each wheel in a real-time mode.
An advanced system of sensors integrated into an electronic control system, and dealing with the physical parameters involved, while the vehicle is in motion or at standstill, permits the continuous and reliable verification of the actual tire pressure.
The electronic surveillance and on-board computerization, coupled with the dashboard display possibilities of the critical data, provides a necessary and active interface for the vehicle operator.