Nissan Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan in U.S is trying to expand its New-Tire Pressure Monitoring technology to limit excuses of driver for ignoring tire pressure warnings with its Easy-fill Tire Alert technology. This system was launched and redesigned in 2011 Quest minivan and being spread across the car maker’s lineup for 2013 models.
It’s already more than a decade since thought on rollover crashes with Ford Explorer SUV focused attention on the need to keep tires properly blown up or inflated for safe driving.
Government made it mandatory that every vehicles should be equipped with tire-pressure-monitoring systems, also known as TPMS. This system informs or warns the driver if pressure in a tire falls 25 percent below the recommended inflation level or requirement inflation level.
Sadly, there are many drivers who ignore these warnings or rules. Here drivers assume that adding air to tires is a dirty job, that it’s too hard and that a pressure gauge is not handy. This can be one of the faults one should avoid.
There are many monitoring systems available. Some systems can be activated by just warning light on the instrument panel when one or more tires contain less pressure. Some more advanced monitoring systems are also available which displays a readout of each tire air pressure. Using these systems one can identify which tires are low inflated.
But when it comes to Nissan’s system, it takes the individual readout for each tire one step further — it signals when the tire reaches the recommended pressure, no tire gauge needed.
In each wheel, pressure sensor is located and communicates with the car’s body-control computer. When air is added to a tire, the car’s parking lights flash three times to let you know the system is active.
When the tire sensor reads that the proper pressure is reached, it briefly sounds the car horn. It is a signal to stop adding air. Even if the tire is overinflated, the car horn chirps three times for letting some air out. Again when the recommended pressure is reached, the horn chirps again.
Nissan’s system takes advantage of technology already on the car to make it easier to keep tires properly inflated.