Phillips Connect will be using new tire pressure sensors that are more efficient, give quick feedback of data, reduce cost and complexity, and do not have to be removed to add air to the tire.

Phillips Connect Technologies announced that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with STE North America LLC for STE’s new tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) sensor based on Micro.sp technology.  The technology’s ultra-low energy consumption is 300% more efficient compared with Bluetooth and other RF technology, according to the announcement.

The Micro.sp sensors will transmit 24/7 tire health information through any Phillips Connect Smart Trailer Gateway. 

With a small pass-through transmitter embedded directly into the air hose, the new Micro.sp TPMS sensor sends tire pressure information, as well as optional air tank and ATIS regulator pressure, twice a day or on-demand, depending upon whether the trailer is parked in a yard or coupled to a tractor. This is part of the complete trailer health reporting through the Phillips Connect integrated cellular gateway. This reported data reveals specific problems that need to be addressed before a trailer is dispatched. 

The new Micro.sp TPMS sensors are widely used in Europe, with excellent performance history over many years, according to the company. They are being offered with an eight-year warranty.

“With over a year of fleet testing, the information captured by our integrated sensor hub demonstrated that reliable tire pressure monitoring provides fleets the most value of any sensors,” said Jim Epler, general manager of Phillips Connect, in a news release. “Because this information can significantly impact a fleet’s bottom line, we now build our gateway devices with embedded Micro.sp low-energy receivers that communicate directly to our new 8-year sensors.”

Phillips Connect is now taking pre-orders for their 8-year Micro.sp TPMS sensors. The company said the sensors can be installed in less than one minute per tire, and stay with the asset throughout its life when used with Phillips Connect hoses. Phillips sees this as a great benefit for equipment owners who typically keep their trailers for a decade or more and seldom have the opportunity for preventive maintenance measures.