New TPMS Regulations on the Horizon

Published on 15 May 2024 - 4 reading minute(s)

Claire Fioretti: Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems monitor tyre pressure and temperature and alert drivers when tyres are underinflated. The original TPMS legislation, written in 2014, applied solely to passenger vehicles. In 2020, these requirements were extended to new truck and trailer models hitting the market in 2022. This newest round of regulations requires that every new truck and trailer sold in the European market from July 7, 2024 and onwards be fitted with a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System.

Claire Fioretti: Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems are made of three essential parts.

• First, sensors monitor the temperature and pressure of the internal layer of the tyre.

• Then, these sensors communicate data to a central unit to be analysed.

• And if levels fall outside of the safe zone, a light alert is sent to the cabin dashboard, signalling to the driver to stop as soon as possible to check the pressure and address the problem.

Karim Essaadi: The minimum Default Trouble Code (DTC), required by the TPMS legislation, sends a signal to the driver when a specific tyre has a problem concerning pressure. This is particularly important in the case of twin tyres, where a pressure issue can affect the internal or external tyre. More sophisticated systems can even display the exact pressure of each tyre in real time.

Claire Fioretti: First and foremost for safety reasons. Put simply, underinflated or overheated tyres can cause accidents. In fact, Michelin conducted a study of 7,000 trucks in Europe and found that tyres are the leading cause of roadside truck breakdowns ౼ with 30% of breakdowns linked directly to tyres. Of these breakdowns, 90% of tyre-related problems were caused by pressure leaks. It is important to note that an estimated 80% of flat tyre risks could be avoided with daily pressure checks.¹

Karim Essaadi: It’s true, but the upside goes far beyond safety alone! We know that a single breakdown can be costly for a fleet owner! This cost includes only replacing the tyre without the costs related to downtime, delivery delays that might incur penalties and even damaged merchandise. So at the end of the day, TPMS can increase a fleet’s profit by reducing costs and downtimes.

Karim Essaadi: On top of road safety and fleet efficiency, a TPMS can generate significant advantages in regards to a fleet’s sustainability goals. For example, under inflated tyres can considerably increase rolling resistance, which, in turn, increases fuel consumption, while monitoring and maintaining the correct tyre pressure has the opposite effect, reducing fuel consumption. TPMS is also an advantage for sustainable development, as every litre of fuel saved avoids the emission of 2.66 kilograms of CO2 into the atmosphere2. That's nothing to sneeze at.

Key Figures: Tyre Safety

Based on a study of 7,000 trucks in Europe:
• 30% of truck breakdowns are tyre-related, making tyres the leading cause of roadside breakdowns.
• 90% of tyre-related problems are caused by pressure leaks.
• 80% of flat tyre risks could be avoided with daily pressure checks.

Claire Fioretti: No, the regulation does not require existing vehicles to be retrofitted with pressure monitoring systems. That said, if fleets want to ensure that their existing vehicles have the same level of safety, efficiency and sustainability as new vehicles, Michelin offers TPMS solutions to upgrade old vehicles.

Karim Essaadi: Our MICHELIN Connected Fleet Solutions offers fleet owners a unique alliance of tyres and services. This includes high-tech tyres, solutions to manage and optimise tyre performance, access to fleet management solutions via MICHELIN Connected Fleet, which combines vehicle data with driver behaviour and finally a new, automatic predictive and alert maintenance offer: MICHELIN Smart Predictive Tyre.