Qinetiq and First Technology develop valve-mounted, battery-less tire pressure monitor

DETROIT (March 5)—Qineti Q P.L.C., the former United Kingdom defense agency, and First Technology P.L.C., a global supplier of safety and comfort products, have co-developed a valve-mounted, battery-less tire pressure monitor which uses sensor valves that can be fitted to the wheel just as conventional pressure valves are. he two exhibited the new product during the Society of Automotive Engineers 2003 World Congress March 3-6 in Detroit. The sensor valves feature a thin element of metallic alloy, developed by QinetiQ, that "changes in characteristic" as the tire deflates and then is detected and conveyed, through radio waves, by on-board monitoring equipment. The system allows for individual monitoring of the pressure in each of the road tires and the spare tire. QinetiQ, a wholly, government-owned company, in December partnered with the Carlyle Group, a global private equity firm, to gain access to capital investment, global expertise and cross-industry contacts. The English government plans to float the company in three to five years.