German auto manufacturer, Continental have announced a partnership with Vodafone to introduce a new tire monitoring system for commercial vehicles that will see the latter helping transmit secure real-time data to places around the world. ContiConnect, as the name suggests, would allow motor vehicles send a warning in case of the pressure inside tyre shifts to an undefined value.
ContiConnect will be able to transmit temperature and pressure data of the tire through a wireless network onto its central web portal which will let users seamlessly monitor the tires during an entire fleet. In scenarios of a deviation from an actual value of tire pressure or temperature, the system will be able to send alerts through a text or email along with measures to rectify the same.
Vodafone’s IoT Director StefanoGestautsaid in a statement, “This is a great example of how IoT can make real world differences in so many unexpected places. This ensures that truck drivers experience fewer tire-related breakdowns and accidents – making the roads a safer place to be for every vehicle user.”
Sensors on the Continental smart tire will analyze data that are related to tyre temperature and pressure and send it to a receiver unit which will, in turn, send the filtered data to the company’s backend server. This data is then fed to a software which identifies if the values are critical, at which point it will send back an alert on the fleet manager’s notice.
Vodafone will help transmit the data collected from the tires through a secure channel to be able to send real-time data to places around the globe. The new platform is currently available in Canada, US, Thailand, and Malaysia and will help increase a fleet’s efficiency, minimize the maintenance costs and increase a vehicle’s uptime.
While ContiConnect aims to improve the operational efficiency and lifespan of tires, the use of the same will reduce costs incurred for installing a display unit in the cockpit. Tire pressure monitoring will also reduce CO2 emissions and save fuel because tires operating at optimal constraints will consume lesser fuel in the long run.
Continental‘s Division Head of Digital Solutions, Michael Neuheisel said “ContiConnect provides commercial vehicle fleet operators such as haulage, bus or construction companies with greater transparency in their fleet management activities and allows them to digitally monitor their vehicles’ tires in real-time. The recorded data helps fleet managers to maximize vehicle uptime and reduce maintenance costs and fuel”.