Sumitomo in partnership to advance TPMS services

Tokyo – Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) has joined forces with new partners to bolster its tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) services, using the internet of things.

The company has entered a “basic business alliance agreement” with Japanese IoT specialist TripodWorks and Taiwan-based TPMS maker Sysgration to further develop air pressure control systems and direct TPMS solutions, SRI announced 16 May.

The alliance, said the Japanese tire maker, is part of the company’s strategy to expand its ‘smart tire’ technologies in response to automotive trends of “mobility as a service”.

With the rise in ride-sharing, autonomous driving and platooning vehicles, SRI expects tire and vehicle control services to play an important role in the near future.

“We will establish and provide new services to the customer to react to these environmental changes of vehicle industry,” the company stated.

Under the partnership, the companies will use tire pressure and temperature data from direct TPMS systems to provide tire pressure control services.

The model is expected to “gradually expand” with the addition of new functions and third-party services.