Melexis’ TPMS Sensor to Provide Greater Tire Safety to Commercial Vehicles

Melexis announced that its third generation Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensor with extended pressure range – the MLX91804-007/008 – will make a significant contribution to road safety by enabling enhanced tire monitoring in commercial vehicles.
 
TPMS for passenger vehicles is mandated by legislation in different regions worldwide. With discussions relating to TPMS for commercial vehicles (including heavy trucks and buses) underway and possible future legislation, Melexis’ MLX91804 tire monitoring sensor is likely to become a reference for TPMS for commercial vehicles. As 50% of truck breakdowns are attributed to tire failure, the ability to monitor tire performance effectively will deliver early warning of impending failure and allow commercial vehicle fleets to run more smoothly.
 
Melexis’ MLX91804 is a MEMS-based pressure sensor. The device is the world’s smallest (60% smaller than the nearest competing device) and despite this, also contains a high g-range (up to 700 g) dual-axis accelerometer to detect wheel movement and to support wheel sensor auto-location feature.
 
In the TPMS sensor module, the battery is almost always the largest component and must contain enough capacity for the anticipated at least 10-year lifespan. Commercial vehicles are in use up to 80% of the time, compared to 10% for passenger vehicles. As a consequence, an average temperature of the tire sensor module during lifespan is considerably higher. The ultra-low power consumption of the MLX91804, especially in sleep mode (90 nA at room temperature and only 230 nA at +70°C), will contribute to a significant size and weight reduction in the battery and, therefore, the overall TPMS sensor module.
 
“The value of TPMS for commercial vehicles has been recognized more and more by OEMs and fleet owners,” Ivan Zagan, marketing manager for TPMS at Melexis, said. “Our solution combines the essential attributes of small size, high levels of functionality, low power consumption and ruggedness that will be essential to success this emerging market.”