Wheely-Safe is making its intelligent tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) available for connection to car and light commercial vehicle telematics and CAN bus for the first time, with a new range of connected open platform devices offered alongside its standalone products.
The launch forms part of the biggest series of upgrades by Wheely-Safe to-date, enhancing its offer to fleets, telematics providers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including the caravan and motorhome market.
It includes the introduction of the world’s first auto-calibrating internal TPMS sensor with auto-positioning capability on four-wheel vehicles, eliminating the need for external valve sensors if preferred. Protected by a global patent, these new sensors can distinguish between intentional pressure adjustments and genuine underinflation or leakage, and offer an extended battery life of 5-10 years, depending on vehicle utilisation.
Steve Jackson, Managing Director of Wheely-Safe, says: “Fleets increasingly want everything running through their telematics and that brings huge advantages for the Wheely-Safe product. It means we can provide access to real-time pressure data remotely, which can help to prevent breakdowns and takes the guesswork out of organising tyre maintenance.”
Wheely-Safe’s first-generation systems have already been fitted to thousands of cars and vans nationwide, particularly by fleets for whom tyre condition is critical, such as blue light operators. Its auto-pairing sensors provide a straightforward way to check and maintain pressures, providing alerts for underinflation or an increase in air temperature inside the tyre – often the sign of an impending tyre failure.
Tyre underinflation is a global issue which increases fuel bills, CO2 emissions and stopping distances, and reduces tyre endurance capabilities. Research by a major tyre manufacturer found that 60 per cent of UK motorists routinely drive on under-inflated tyres, half of which are dangerously underinflated by more than 8psi.
Reinforcing the need for intelligent TPMS, Jackson adds: “Many original equipment systems in modern vehicles can be slow to notify of a pressure leak and often only alert to losses of more than 25 per cent. Our new connected systems allow live tyre pressure monitoring, plus our sensors provide a scale of alerts, with overnight maintenance warnings beginning from just 15 per cent underinflation.”
Maintenance alerts allow notification of non-critical events, such as when a tyre has dropped just below optimum inflation pressure, to be flagged and rectified by the workshop team without interrupting the driver or their schedule.
New accessories
Wheely-Safe has also expanded its range with a new keyring-sized WalkAround Checker. Designed for use as part of a driver’s daily inspections, it can be held against any Wheely-Safe TPMS sensor and a series of red, amber and green lights report the latest sensor status – with red highlighting an issue which requires immediate attention.
Connected devices record a log of the completed walkaround inspections, whilst standalone receivers feature a dedicated symbol which illuminates to confirm if an inspection has been completed in the previous 24-hours – enabling managers to confirm tyre checks are being carried out daily.
An updated Pressure Checker is also available for workshop staff, giving them immediate tyre pressure readings when conducting fleet inspections.
Availability
Prices to equip a standard car or van start from around £100 for an intelligent TPMS solution. Systems are available directly from Wheely-Safe, and selected tyre dealerships. All products in the range come with a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty.
Wheely-Safe also offers a full range of connected and standalone TPMS solutions for larger vehicles, including buses, coaches, trucks and trailers – with the option of wheel loss and brake/hub temperature monitoring too, for added protection.
For more information visit www.wheely-safe.com
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Notes to editor:
Wheely-Safe Ltd is a technology business founded in 2010 by two lifelong friends – Gary Thomas, a Director of his own transport compliance consultancy, and Gary Broadfield, a Director of Technology and serial inventor for a large Japanese electronics manufacturer. Together they brought the marriage of skills required to help solve wheel loss issues in the automotive sector, and to tackle the huge number of vehicles driving every day on under-inflated tyres. The early years of Wheely-Safe concentrated on attaining worldwide patent protection and technology small enough to fit near the wheels of all vehicle types, from cars and vans to trucks and trailers – with its first products launched into the market during 2018. www.wheely-safe.com
For further press information please contact:
Dan Jones or James Keeler at Garnett Keeler PR on 020 8647 4467 or by email to dan.jones@garnettkeeler.com / james.keeler@garnettkeeler.com
To access Wheely-Safe’s online newsroom please visit https://www.gk.news/wheelysafe
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