Press Release
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New ContiPressureCheck System Warns Truck Drivers
of Tire Inflation Problems
 Tire pressure monitoring system from Continental compensates for tire
temperature for more accurate readings
 Inside tire mounting ensures better readings and longer lifetime than exteriormounted systems
 Systems can reduce tire-related breakdowns and increase fuel economy
Mid-America Trucking Show, Louisville, Ky., March 22, 2012. Underinflation, the enemy of
commercial truck tires, has been estimated by the Technology and Maintenance Council to
cause nine out of 10 tire failures, as well as faster tire wear and reduced fuel economy. Today at
the Mid-America Trucking Show, Continental Tire the Americas, LLC revealed its first product
that directly addresses this crucial component of tire maintenance.
ContiPressureCheck™ is a new, advanced tire pressure monitoring system specifically
designed for commercial vehicles. The system constantly monitors the pressure and
temperature of each tire on the vehicle in order to provide real-time, on-demand tire status
information and to warn the driver of tire-related problems before they become a critical
concern, said Clif Armstrong, CTA’s director of commercial vehicle tire marketing for the
Americas.
“ContiPressureCheck is a unique product that brings together all Continental’s expertise in tires,
inflation, in-cab displays, sensors and monitoring technologies for a direct system that not only
provides advanced, accurate pressure data, but also addresses fleet concerns about fuel
economy and operating cost reductions,” Armstrong said.
How it works
ContiPressureCheck integrates its sensors, communication system and data processor into a
single module that is housed inside a rubber container and glued to the inner surface of the tire.
The sensors continuously monitor both air pressure and the tire’s temperature, and send data
wirelessly to the truck’s electronic control unit (ECU). This processes the data, saves warnings
and sends them directly to a display in the driver’s cab. The driver can immediately take
corrective action and avoid a breakdown before it happens.
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Your contact person:
Jackie Pobiega, Phone: 01+704.583.8564
-2The ContiPressureCheck advantages
ContiPressureCheck has two major advantages for commercial truck drivers over other
systems, Armstrong said. First, it is the only system on the market to account for the tire’s
temperature at its most optimal point inside the tire, which eliminates interference from other
outside elements. The system then compensates for the temperature in the inflation data.
“Since a tire’s contained air pressure naturally increases as a vehicle moves, it can be difficult to
tell if a hot tire is underinflated. Without some form of temperature compensation, a hot tire that
is underinflated might appear to be fine, because the contained air pressure is at or above its
cold inflation pressure,” Armstrong said.
“With ContiPressureCheck, which is tire mounted, we measure both tire pressure and
temperature, in order to give the most accurate reading. This feature alerts drivers to
underinflation issues even in the case of slow leaks, which are difficult to detect in a system that
is not compensated. ”
ContiPressureCheck’s construction takes into account years of research into tire pressure
monitoring systems, and provides a robust and reliable system – the second advantage of the
product, Armstrong added.
“Because the ContiPressureCheck system sensors are placed inside the tire, they are less
prone to breakage or accidental damage. This construction also avoids measurement errors
due to brake heating,” he said. “The system can be easily installed when tires are replaced or
even before the new vehicle is delivered from the manufacturer.”
Benefits
The benefits of using ContiPressureCheck extend well beyond the longevity of the system and
the accuracy of its data. Looking at all the factors that impact a commercial fleet’s costs,
Armstrong said ContiPressureCheck addresses several issues that impact fleet operations.
“First is fuel economy. As fuel costs increase, it becomes more and more vital for fleets to
manage every drop of diesel. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently reported that in a
two-year test, use of a tire pressure monitoring system decreased fuel consumption by 1.4
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Your contact person:
Jackie Pobiega, Phone: 01+704.583.8564
-3percent. That alone can pay for the cost of a tire pressure monitoring system, and also reduces
emissions,” Armstrong said.
“The benefits don’t stop there. Proper tire inflation also reduces tire wear and the incidence of
breakdowns. All of these factors help keep trucks operating longer and more continuously on
the road, and thus reducing operating costs for fleets.”
ContiPressureCheck will be available to the North American trucking marketplace in fall 2012.
For more information, visit the Continental pavilion at the Mid-America Trucking Show, #18252.
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With sales of €30.5 billion in 2011, Continental is among the leading automotive suppliers worldwide.
As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for powertrains and chassis,
instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomer products,
Continental contributes to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also an
expert partner in networked automobile communication. Continental currently has approximately
164,000 employees in 46 countries.
Effective August 1, 2011 the businesses of Passenger and Light Truck Tires, Truck Tires, Bus Tires and
Industrial Tires, as well as the Two-Wheel Tire activities have been organized into one Tire Division.
As one of the world’s leading tire manufacturers, with more than 41,000 employees, the division
achieved cumulative sales of more than €8.8 billion in 2011. Today, the Tire division has 22 production
and development locations worldwide. The broad product range and continuous investments in R&D
make a major contribution to cost-effective and ecologically efficient mobility.
The Commercial Vehicle Tire business had sales of more than €1.8 billion in 2011, making it one of
the largest manufacturers of truck, bus and industrial tires worldwide.
Continental’s Tire Division is an Official Sponsor of the German DFB Cup, the UEFA EURO 2012TM
in Poland and the Ukraine, and the 2014 FIFA World CupTM in Brazil.
Contact for journalists:
Jackie Pobiega
Communications Manager, Commercial Vehicle Tires
Continental Tire the Americas, LLC
1830 MacMillan Park Drive
Fort Mill, SC 29707
Phone: 704-583-8564
Fax: 704-583-8737
E-mail: jackie.pobiega@conti-na.com
CTA Commercial Vehicle Tires Media Site: www.ContiMedia-CVT.com
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Your contact person:
Jackie Pobiega, Phone: 01+704.583.8564
-4Continental Truck Tires Web Site: www.continental-truck.com
Your contact person:
Jackie Pobiega, Phone: 01+704.583.8564