New Software Available for Low Pressure Warning Systems
GENEVA, Switzerland, March 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine making a routine stop
to refuel and getting a message on the dashboard that you should top off your
tire air pressure as well as the fuel tank.
Goodyear and Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation have developed a new
software program that can interpret tire and vehicle data together as part of
the companies' ongoing relationship.
The system delivers two types of messages -- a "convenience" message and a
"warning" message. A convenience message could result from detecting more
weight than usual in the car and traveling at high speed. At the next stop
for fuel, it suggests you should add air pressure to the tires.
"The 'warning' message will be more direct -- it will indicate that you
have reached a critical limit for air pressure in one or more tires and 'a
calculated' number of miles to correct the situation," said Bill Hopkins,
Goodyear vice president for global product marketing and technology planning.
"The threshold can be a limit established by a law such as the United States'
TREAD Act, or any threshold setting established by the vehicle manufacturer,"
Hopkins said.
"We deliver the information to the driver and Goodyear is providing the
tire performance information," said John Sanderson, president and CEO of
Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation. "The system draws on Goodyear's expertise
in tires, tire inflation pressure and temperature monitoring and
interpretation. Siemens' proficiency is in electronics, secured radio
frequency transmission and vehicle system integration technologies," Sanderson
said.
"The Siemens VDO-Goodyear warning software can interpret a multitude of
vehicle parameters and calculate a recommended tire pressure based on data
such as ambient temperature and pressure, tire load, speed and driving
habits," Sanderson said. "The level of message will depend on current tire
inflation pressure, assessment of a pressure leak rate and the time and
distance traveled since the pressure has been below the recommended level.
This can be localized per tire."
This software will be the first step toward the next generation of tire
pressure monitoring systems which will be battery-less and tire embedded as
part of the total Siemens VDO / Goodyear Low Pressure Warning System targeted
for automakers. The software will also be available for sale to improve
existing low pressure warning systems.
Siemens VDO Automotive is one of the world's leading suppliers of
electronics, electrics and mechatronics to the automotive industry. As
development partner of the automotive industry, the company manufactures
products for powertrain, engine control electronics and fuel injection
technology which improve engine performance and reduce emissions. Information
and car communication systems with instrumentation, audio and navigation
terminals, telematics and multimedia applications right through to complete
cockpits provide increased ride comfort and ease of operation. Siemens VDO
products for chassis and carbody such as airbag, ABS and fuel systems or
access control systems contribute to greater safety and security. A separate
Trading division markets products for retrofitting in cars and commercial
vehicles, with the main focus on fleet management and audio and navigation
systems. In the 2001 business year (30.9.2001), Siemens VDO Automotive
generated sales of EUR 5.7 billion with 45,000 employees.
Goodyear is the world's largest tire company. Headquartered in Akron,
Ohio, the company manufactures tires, engineered rubber products and chemicals
in more than 90 facilities in 28 countries. It has marketing operations in
almost every country around the world. Goodyear employs about 96,000 people
worldwide.
Goodyear's NYSE symbol is GT; Siemens' is SI. The companies' web sites
are http://www.goodyear.com and http://www.siemensvdo.com .
SOURCE Goodyear and Siemens VDO Automotive Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.siemensauto.com
CONTACT:
David Ladd of Siemens VDO Automotive
Corporation, +1-248-209-5822, or david.ladd@at.siemens.com ; or
David Russ of Goodyear, +1-330-796-2572, or dwruss@goodyear.com
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