TPMS Study: direct systems are effective, indirect are not

From Rubber & Plastics News

Washington DC - Analysis at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows tyre pressure monitoring systems are highly effective in preventing significant underinflation of tyres, according to “Tire Pressure Maintenance-A Statistical Investigation,” a paper issued by NHTSA.

But TPMS also are likely to result in overinflation, though within safe limits, the agency said.

According to the paper, 57 percent of the surveyed vehicles with TPMS had correct tyre pressures, compared with 43 percent of those without the devices. Fifty-three percent of the TPMS vehicles, however, had at least one overinflated tyre, compared with 47 percent of the control tyres.

The study found significant differences between direct and indirect systems. "TPMS-equipped vehicles have significantly lower average (14%) as compared with 16 percent for the Peer vehicles. The difference between averages is more significant when Direct type of TPMS and Peer vehicles are compared, while the difference in the case of Indirect types is insignificant.

NHTSA conducted the analysis on 2316 vehicles through the infrastructure of the National Automotive Data System's Crashworthiness Data System.

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Study: TPMS prevents underinflation, causes overinflation from Rubber & Plastics News (a Crain publication)

Tire Pressure Maintenance-A Statistical Investigation from NHTSA