Friction is a necessary evil, as we have read in our science textbooks from the childhood. So, it holds true for all the fields, including auto sector. Any vehicle begets its motion due to friction. But what if this friction crosses a certain limit, especially in summers when the temperature is sky high? In such situation, friction leads to fatal accidents as the temperature of the tyres increases dramatically leading to bursting of the tyre.
The situation was well recorded by the professor R B Ghongade from Bhartiya Vidyapeeth University situated in Pune who read and reread the national records over the accidents out of which a major proportion was devoted to accidents due to overheating of the tyres. He claimed that a hazardous combination of high speed, concretization and scorching temperature lead to abrupt bursting of tyre of a vehicle. It is the kind of failure that no human brain can assess. Thus there is a need for a machine to keep monitoring the temperature of the tyres, and inform the driver when it crosses the suggested level. It will safeguard the unwanted expansion of air inside the tyres which leads to its rupture.
Keeping this in mind, the professor along with the assistance of his much devoted final year students at the University developed an app termed as 'tyre temperature monitoring system' that monitors and informs about the temperature of the tyre to the driver, so as to make sure that he lowers his speed when the temperature is alarmingly high.
Ghongade also shared with us the functioning of the app and how it requires negligible changes in the vehicles' wire system to incorporate the app. he said that “It is fully wireless and requires minimal modification to existing electrical wiring system of a four-wheeler. It can be powered by the car battery or its own supply. At its heart is a non-contact temperature sensor offering accuracy between -10°C and +380°C. Individual sensors mounted over each tyre under the vehicle body acquire data continuously, which is then wirelessly transmitted real-time to a smartphone, running a display on the driver’s mobile app. The graphical display of all tyre temperatures makes sure precautionary measures can be taken by decreasing the car’s speed if temperatures get too high.”
The technology is already in use in African nations and if it comes in use in India, it will sure shot decrease the number of road accidents on highways. It might be seen as a great safety measure by car manufacturers around the globe and they might incorporate it into their safety provision list to attract newer customers.
