San Jose-based ADLINK has said its MXE-110i industrial ‘internet-of-things’ (IIoT) gateway has been selected by Michelin and Softbank as part of the first tyre monitoring system to be deployed in Japan.
Michelin’s cloud-based ‘tyre pressure monitoring system’ (TPMS) features sensors that monitor air pressure and temperature within tyres, and send out alerts when readings deviate from standard levels. ADLINK’s MXE-110 gateway, designed for IIoT settings, sits within the vehicle and relays the sensor communications to Softbank’s cloud-based IoT platform.
Alerts are issued via an email to the end customer, and Michelin itself. Alerts go out automatically to the Michelin Rescue Network, which can dispatch a vehicle to provide assistance.
Vincent Tseng, general manager of ADLINK in Asia Pacific, said: “Both the driver of the vehicle and the operations manager can monitor all of the vehicle’s data right on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. This information is invaluable for preventing blowouts and other problems.”
The solution also provides cost savings for industries such as fleet management and construction, said the companies involved.
Paul Perriniaux, managing director of Nihon Michelin Tire, said: “Japan faces societal issues such as reduction in the working population and the aging of society. Particularly serious is the lack of staffing in the transportation, construction and agriculture industries. The improvement of productivity and reduction of workload are matters of great urgency.”
SoftBank said it anticipates business growth not just in communications infrastructure and services but also in mobility, with ride-sharing and automatic driving. Yasuyuki Imai, representative director and chief operating officer at SoftBank, said: “In facing the coming future of 5G and IoT, we support the development of new services for our customers as an IoT service platform for the further ‘value-fication’ of data.”
The TPMS design allows tyre monitoring of vehicles of all classes, including camper vans, light trucks, heavy vehicles, trailers and buses. The MXE-110, based on Intel’s Quark SoC X1021 chipset and Wind River’s XT 3.1 platform, features RF connectivity and a fanless design.
