Tirematics
Bridgestone
A new concept
for TPMS sensors
PROACTIVE TYRE MAINTENANCE REDUCES TYRE COSTS, FUEL CONSUMPTION AND ROADSIDE BREAKDOWNS
Tirematics™ encompasses all Bridgestone’s connected tyre solutions: IT systems that use sensors to remotely monitor, transmit and analyse real-time information, such as the pressure and temperature of commercial truck and bus tyres.
The Tirematics™ fleet solution provides added value to fleet operators by taking a proactive approach to tyre maintenance, before serious problems arise, helping to reduce vehicle downtime and roadside breakdowns, while optimizing tyre life and fuel economy.
“Bridgestone’s Tirematics is a practical, cost effective fleet-oriented solution with great impact on tyre performance, fuel economy and breakdown prevention” says Neil Purves, Senior Manager Solution Business Systems, Bridgestone Europe.
FUTURE TIREMATICS SYSTEM TO PROVIDE CONTINUOUS REAL-TIME DATA
Expanding on the existing Tirematics connected tyre solution, Bridgestone is now trialling a system to bring further benefits to the fleet. In addition to tyre pressure and temperature information, it also provides relevant vehicle data to the server, on a continuous basis, not just when a vehicle checks in through the gate. This data allows Bridgestone’s advanced data processing system to react quicker to pressure issues, informing the fleet and breakdown service if a tyre is rapidly deflating. The system also enables advanced algorithms to generate predictive maintenance scheduling.
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The (Q)Be© STATION is a “drive through” gate based on patented Micro.sp® technology.. It enables fast monitoring of TPMS Micro.sp® sensors installed in tyres.
Data from sensors is collected by the 2 receivers, each one installed in a tower. Trucks do not need to stop (dynamic monitoring) as they pass through the dedicated gate area, approx. 10 m2, and the data are later sent to the database for the analysis of pressure, temperature and battery status.
The (Q)Be© installation consists of 1 master tower and 1 slave tower, and uses a multiple wireless communication platform that enables the system to collect data in real time as it comes through the Micro.sp® wireless sensors installed in tyre stems or truck extensors (BST1712-XT); a GSM device is installed in the master tower to communicate with the remote central data collector.
The 2 towers adopt a flexible architecture and may be programmed to operate as a master (Q)Be© or slave (Q)Be© towers: the master tower, through a wireless communication system based on a standard ISM frequency band (Q)Be© data exchange network, is set to control the slave, and the collected data coming through the (Q)Be© is filtered and delivered over the air, via GPRS, to the central IT platform database (Tirematics services), where data is finally analysed and appropriately filtered.
Cost efficiencies for fleets
Proactive alerts and regular maintenance reports allow the fleet and service provider to keep the fleet running efficiently at its optimal level.
Some truck fleets have already reported reductions of 75% in tyre-related roadside breakdowns. In addition, fleets potentially save around 0.5% in fuel consumption due to fleets’ improved tyre inflation.
Bridgestone believes Tirematics will also lead to significant cost savings on tyre maintenance since monitoring tyre information remotely eliminates the need to check pressure manually. More efficient maintenance in turn means tyres are used for longer and more safely, reducing the number of tyres discarded prematurely and the total number consumed. With Bridgestone’s Tirematics solutions, fleet operators can therefore expect further cost reductions through increased efficiency.
TPMS syStem operating since 2013
Bridgestone has been providing a TPMS-based tyre pressure monitoring service as part of its fleet service program since 2013, via the ‘sensors and gate’ system exhibited at IAA Commercial Vehicles 2016.
Every time a vehicle passes through the gate, special valves on the vehicle tyres send pressure data via the GSM network to the Bridgestone fleet data server. Tyre pressure is evaluated in real-time and, if it falls outside the pre-defined limits, an email is automatically sent to the fleet and service provider, so that immediate action can be taken. Reports can also be automatically created. More than 100,000 tyres are currently monitored through the server, with over 25,000 tyres measured daily.
