Nissan's "TPMS with Easy Fill Tire Alert" System
One of Nissan’s signature innovations the “TPMS with Easy Fill Tire Alert” system was named one of six finalists by AOL Autos for its 2012 Technology of the Year Award. The tire pressure and alert system was a finalist in the active safety category.
The Tire Pressure Monitoring system (TPMS) system uses tire pressure monitoring sensors to alert a driver when a tire’s pressure drops below a safe level. Once the driver begins to add air to the low tire, the “Easy Fill Tire Alert” system activates the vehicle’s four-way flashers to indicate that the tire is inflating; the horn then honks once to signal that the tire is at its recommended inflation level. If the driver continues to fill the tire with air, the horn honks three more times to indicate over inflation. Once air is let out of the tire, the horn honks once more to indicate the correct pressure has been reached. The tire pressure and alert system makes the whole tire inflation process fast and easy and with no need for hand-held tire pressure gauges.
AOL Autos editor-in-chief, David Kiley, explained:
“ Emerging automotive technology is such an important differentiator between the brands right now. AOL Autos looks forward to continuing to highlight the top automotive technologies for many years to come.”
Nissan’s “Easy Fill Tire Alert” system is a great convenience feature that works in concert with the TPMS safety feature. A recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates a tire that is 25 percent below its recommended pressure is three times more likely to be involved in a crash. Low tire inflation also costs vehicle owners money over the long term in reduced fuel economy and premature tire wear.
Jon Brancheau, vice president of marketing at Nissan Americas, said:
“ At Nissan, we are constantly listening to our customers and adding the technologies they want in their vehicles. We aren’t innovators for innovation’s sake; we seek to make the driving experience better, safer and more enjoyable.”
For the 2013 model year, the "TPMS with Easy Fill Tire Alert" system is available on the top-selling Nissan Altima sedan, Quest minivan, all-new Pathfinder three-row SUV, the redesigned Sentra sedan equipped with Nissan Intelligent Key®, the new LEAF™, and the Infiniti JX. Nissan and Infiniti plan to introduce the system in a number of new and redesigned models in the near future.
The AOL Autos Technology of the Year Award was designed to give shoppers a clear grasp of which emerging vehicle technologies provide a positive or negative impact on safety and the overall ownership experience. It is intended to bring together the best and brightest automotive innovations into one industry award. This year’s finalists were announced during a special ceremony that took place at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show. AOL’s Technology of the Year Award judging panel consisted of the editors of AOL Autos, Autoblog, and Engadget.