TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT |
Tyre safety in motion Suboptimal tyre maintenance endangers safety, reduces fuel efficiency and increases harmful emissions. Systems using cutting-edge sensors to diagnose the condition of heavy vehicle tyres in motion are proving invaluable to agencies, both for enforcement and decision-quality driver feedback
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Words | Rish Malhotra, International Road Dynamics (IRD), Canada
or more than 40 years, International Road Dynamics (IRD) has been at the forefront of commercial vehicle screening technology to make roads safer and more efficient. Initially, it pioneered development of weigh-inmotion (WIM) pre-clearance systems, then became an integrator of complex automated vehicle inspection systems. Its development of VectorSense tyre sensors enabled IRD to create a new system for identifying tyre anomalies on moving vehicles. The Tire Anomaly and Classification System (TACS) combines in-road sensors and customized analytics software to enable non-intrusive examination of truck tyre conditions in live lanes at highway speeds.
Value added TACS
Mindful of safety and fuel economy, most commercial operators follow rigorous tyre safety regimes. But in a sector characterised by tight margins, some cut corners, hoping to minimise effort and cost. Unfortunately, this increases safety risks and can actually decrease vehicle fuel efficiency. Tyre underinflation impacts vehicle handling, increases rolling resistance and can even cause overheating, delamination and failure. TACS deployments substantially improve safety, efficiency and user experience without needing to stop and inspect every vehicle. TACS identifies unsafe or environmentally harmful tyre conditions and provides vital feedback encouraging changes in personal and operational behaviour. VectorSense sensors create a 3D imaging profile of tyre conditions for each axle and tyre on a vehicle. Footprint data is converted into an intermediate calculated value, then a proprietary algorithm is applied to arrive at an approximate tyre
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Underinflation nation
Above: The VectorSense tire sensor array provides input to the Tire Anomaly and Classification System (TACS) Right: The VectorSense electronics are compact and capable of directly hosting standalone TACS
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pressure and condition. Each tyre’s contact patch is examined in detailed slices, which are then combined to provide a comprehensive data-view of the tyre. This data enables the TACS system to locate any problem tyres – either as a standalone or part of a larger pre-clearance system.
In the United States, TACS has been widely adopted within weigh-station pre-clearance systems, identifying flat, underinflated or missing tyres on heavy commercial vehicles. States are acutely aware that the size and weight of these vehicles multiplies the risks inherent to tyre problems. Inspectors are empowered to levy fines for flat or severely underinflated tyres or debar vehicles from service until tyres are repaired. In some locations, where over 2% of all trucks have tyre problems sufficient to warrant exclusion from service, the need for TACS is inarguable. In North America, TACS provides vital enforcement capability. But the European approach has so far concentrated on condition-management and providing decision-quality information to drivers and fleet operators. There has been a focus on detecting ‘inefficient’ tyres – those close enough to regulation pressure
