Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd. has begun testing a tire pressure management solutions (TPMS) service that provides remote monitoring of tire pressure and tire temperature. The tiremaker is working with partners in Japan to monitor the consumer tires on vehicles leased and rented to the public.
With Shin-Idemitsu Co. Ltd. Sumitomo will track the tires on 30 leased vehicles, plus 500 vehicles operated by IDEX Auto Japan Co. Ltd. as part of their Budget rental car business operated in three different prefectures (regions) of the Kyushu Region in Japan.
Sumitomo says, "This service makes it possible to directly view data collected by the TPMS installed in each tire from anywhere in the world via the Cloud, which not only reduces tire maintenance workload, but also helps to ensure that tire pressure is maintained at appropriate levels, thereby contributing to improved fuel economy, safer driving and greater overall peace of mind."
The tiremaker says the data will also be available to the customers and drivers through a personalized website that will also collect feedback.
Sumitomo sees the TPMS as a piece of its response to the rise in connected, autonomous, shared and electric vehicles "and other major innovations that are already transforming the automotive industry." It's part of the tiremaker's "smart tire concept" that will service the "mobility society of the future."
