The great Chinese sage Sun Tzu once wrote: “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” When driving, we’re constantly looking at our surroundings – the “enemy” – from the traffic to the terrain, factoring in all the minute details about everyone and everything on the surroundings. However, it’s crucial to also pay attention to ourselves – not just our mental alertness and how much fuel we have in the tank, but also things like the air pressure in our tyres.
Keeping track of tyre pressure while driving requires a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). There isn’t really an alternative – it’s practically impossible to gauge the pressure in your tyres just by the feel of it, unless it’s already too late and your tyres have been underinflated for far too long (or just had a blowout). So a TPMS is used to avoid such events before they happen. Tyre pressure sensors measure the air pressure inside your tyre, and the system informs you when it gets too low via a visual tyre pressure monitor as well as an audible alarm.
A TPMS is essential for being aware of your tyre pressure, and without tyre sensors to measure that pressure, all sorts of nasty things can happen. Underinflated tyres wear out faster, and take longer to stop, meaning that driving without properly inflated tyres is both more expensive and more dangerous. If your tyres get worn and shredded, you’re also more likely to lose control of your vehicle, so a constant awareness of your tyre pressure is important in avoiding accidents. Tyre pressure is something that’s constantly experiencing a gradual change, so it’s better to have continuous information about it than sporadic trips to the mechanic. Using a TPMS is a smarter, safer choice.