| TIRE SCREENING
Above: VectorSense
tire sensors can
take readings from
vehicles moving at
up to 160km/h
41% The proportion of incidents
involving trucks that were the
result of tire problems in the
Netherlands in May 2018
Annual Showcase 2020 | Intertraffic World 143
to be one of the most effective
technologies for commercial vehicle
safety screening, because the system
provides accurate results that are
verified by vehicle inspections and
lead to placing unsafe vehicles out
of service.
European experience
Of course, the US is not the only
part of the world that experiences
problems with truck tire safety. In
May 2018, an analysis was performed
by a government/private industry
organization in the Netherlands
on incidents – such as breakdowns
and accidents – involving trucks. The
results of the analysis showed that
the share of breakdowns due to flat
tire or blowout was 41% of the cases
recorded. It was determined that
it would be a major contribution
to road safety, traffic flow and
fuel savings in the Netherlands if a
technology could reduce the number
of accidents caused by underinflated
tires and blowouts.
In response, IRD was contracted to
install TACS near Rotterdam in mid-
2018. The Netherlands system detects
tire anomalies including low air
pressure and flat tires or potentially
unsafe tires on trucks. This system is
installed on the main traffic lane and
monitors tires at highway speeds. A
custom interface for viewing TACS
data was developed for the project.
As with IRD’s standard TACS
interface, tire anomalies were
flagged in red for users.
Instead of being used for
enforcement, this system contributes
to raising awareness of tire problems.
When tire anomalies are identified,
the transportation company is
notified to make them aware
and so that they can take action by
contacting the driver, for instance,
so that the problem can be repaired.
Future of screening
IRD sees infrastructure to vehicle
(I2V) applications as the logical next
step. Tire safety screening systems
are already being developed to add
wireless communications to TACS
to immediately and automatically
inform trucks with tire anomalies of
their potentially unsafe condition.
Communication may include
roadside messaging via variable
message signs, wireless in-vehicle
notification or standardized data
formats compatible with various
systems. The enhanced TACS system
will facilitate quicker corrective
action, thus improving road safety
and decreasing the potential of
traffic flow disruption. ■