Yokohama begins testing of remote tire monitoring technology

TOKYO—Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. has begun practical testing of its newly developed tire air pressure remote access system (TPRS), which enables the monitoring of tire conditions remotely.

The system, developed by Yokohama, involves an air pressure sensor attached to the inner surface of tires and will be tested in taxis operated by the two companies in Kyoto Prefecture, the tire maker announced in a June 20 news release.

The testing, which began in May with Kyoto Taxi Co. Ltd. and Koshin Taxi Co., aims to verify the effect of TPRS technology on the safety and economical operation of taxi fleets.

Yokohama claims the technology, which delivers data on tire air pressure, temperature and vehicle location, will "greatly reduce" time spent on checking tires at the start of each day.

It also enables early detection of slow punctures that cause gradual air leakage, the company said, and the system's ability to detect tire abnormalities I real time can help prevent accidents.

The system transmits detection data to a cloud server, enabling the taxi company's fleet managers and Yokohama Rubber's sales offices to monitor tire air pressure.

Unlike the conventional valve-type TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system), air-pressure sensors attached to tires' inner surfaces can be used on a wide variety of vehicles and wheels as an aftermarket part that can be used with any wheel type.