Fitment of BPW’s Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) AirSave is good business sense according to BPW Product Manager, Caren Freudenberg.
“Skyrocketing fuel prices have seen a marked increase in demand for our AirSave system,” she said.
“For a three-axle vehicle with a mileage of 120,000 kilometres per year and an average pressure deviation of 10 per cent, AirSave delivers a cost benefit of 700 euros per year – solely as a result of the fuel savings (around 250 litres) and the longer service life of the tyres.
“At 200,000 kilometres of mileage, the cost savings increase to almost 1,000 euros. And they do so year after year. The gains in time and safety have not yet been factored into this calculation.”
Later this year Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) on trailers will be mandated by the European Commission. BPW presents industry with its AirSave solution which is reported to save tyres, fuel and nerves.
Tyre pressure monitoring systems have long been legally required in many vehicle categories. They first made their way into legislation in the US in 2008, followed shortly thereafter by Japan, South Korea, and, in 2012, the EU.
An amendment to the UN ECE R 141 Regulation is planned for 2022 that will also require a tyre pressure monitoring system for trailers for the first time. The legislation will be implemented in two parts: From July 2022, it shall apply to all new vehicle type approvals; from July 2024, tyre pressure monitoring will be required for all newly registered trailers.
The UN ECE is a regulatory framework of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe; it also applies far beyond the borders of the EU. Parties to the agreement include countries such as the UK, Russia, Turkey, all Eastern European nations, South Africa, Australia and many more.
UN ECE R 141 precisely stipulates the tyre pressure monitoring system’s range of functions. When a loss of pressure greater than 20 per cent or a system malfunction occurs, the driver must receive a warning within 10 minutes.
In tyre pressure refill systems, a change in pressure of five per cent must be automatically offset again within 10 minutes. A warning must be displayed in the driver cab; the systems’ sensor data can be transmitted by cable or wirelessly.
“Detecting a loss of pressure on the move is good – but regulating it automatically is even better,” said Freudenberg.
“That offers added uptime that truly pays off. We therefore recommend that all vehicle operators now order their trailers with the AirSave tyre pressure control system.”
Mustafa Celik, CEO of M. Celik Transport GmbH, based in Iserlohn, North Rhine-Westphalia, has already had his new order of 15 semi-trailers for 2022 fitted with the AirSave system.
The haulier has specialised in demanding coil transport for years. Its constantly growing fleet currently numbers around 60 vehicles and 75 semi-trailers.
The fleet has already been connected with the system from idem telematics since 2016. This allows data from the tyre pressure monitoring system to be transmitted to drivers, planners and other predefined recipients in real time.
“We’ve already been able to bring the vehicle safely to its destination despite an incipient tyre issue on two occasions, as the system continually re-adjusted the system’s air pressure,” said Celik.
“Without AirSave, there would have been a risk of unplanned vehicle downtime and an expensive tyre change on the move.”