Tyre pressure, damper condition and wheel balance assessment from vibration measurements

The work reported shows the possibility of informing drivers when attention to tyre pressure, damper and wheel balance is required. The proposed system offers a number of advantages: no invasion of the tyre air space; it can be retrofitted, suitable transducers are being fitted for use in advanced suspension systems so the necessary raw signal could be obtained very cheaply; the cost of accelerometers for this type of application are falling rapidly. The main disadvantage of the proposed system would be the need to provide calibration facility to accommodate any change in tyre size. This is not considered to be a serious problem as further research will be able to establish the range of calibration factors and onboard software could easily accommodate this potential variable. Adoption of such a system is considered to provide increased safety and a reduction in operating and maintenance costs for the motorist.