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How do cars monitor tire pressure?

Model: (Various brands) Various
Part: Onboard computer

Have we ever wondered how our car monitors tire pressure? There are two types of TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System): direct and indirect. Indirect ones use the speed sensors of the ESP and ABS. In fact, the more inflated a tire is, the larger its circumference, and therefore the number of revolutions needed to cover a certain distance. When the sensors detect an anomaly, they signal it by lighting up the dashboard warning light: this only tells us that one or more tires are deflated, and does not allow us to see the pressure of each individual tire in real time. The direct TPMS, on the other hand, tells us the real-time pressure of each tire, because it has a sensor in each tire, and transmits the data via radio frequency to a receiver. The sensors have a battery, which lasts from two to ten years; however, when it runs out, the entire sensor must be replaced.

Posted on 14 June 2025 by ScegliAuto

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