Sensor technology sets standards for Bluetooth-based tyre pressure sensors

Tyre pressure sensors play a vital role in ensuring safety and efficiency in road traffic, whether for motorcycles, trucks, cars, or buses. They help to extend tire life, reduce fuel consumption, and increase vehicle safety. Tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are already required by law for passenger cars in many regions of the world, including Europe, the U.S., and China. With the new SMP290, Bosch has developed and launched the first extremely compact MEMS sensor with an integrated Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface for measuring tire pressure.

The sensor is based on the company's leading MEMS technology. It is the first fully integrated solution with a Bluetooth interface available on the market. The sensor combines all essential components for TPMS. These include an MCU, Bluetooth interface, two-axis acceleration sensor, and pressure and temperature sensors. What makes the device special is its high level of integration and extremely low power consumption, which enables an operating lifespan of up to ten years.

"The Bluetooth functionality not only improves efficiency but also safety throughout the entire lifetime of the sensor," explains Peter Wolfangel, member of the board of management of Bosch Mobility Electronics and responsible for development. The Bluetooth connection allows secure communication between the sensor and the vehicle. The software on the sensor can be updated quickly and easily via OTA updates, ensuring that the sensor remains up to date throughout its entire life cycle.

The sensor offers technical and commercial advantages at several levels of the value chain: as a component for system integrators, it saves space and energy. As part of the vehicle architecture, it enables vehicle manufacturers to exploit synergies with other BLE systems. The Bluetooth capability also facilitates user-friendly applications, such as convenient tire pressure monitoring directly via smartphone.

Many technological advances in vehicles enhance the safety and comfort of road users. At the same time, however, they also make vehicles more complex. The company aims to leverage synergies and simplify components and vehicle architectures, as Peter Wolfangel explains: "The SMP290 is designed as an integrated system and can therefore make optimum use of synergies within a vehicle's hardware and software." The sensor can share communication modules with other components, such as keyless access systems, thereby preventing redundancies and complicated cabling. "This contributes to a more efficient and leaner design that benefits the vehicle throughout its entire life cycle," says Wolfangel.