Meritor Debuts Self-Inflating Tire System for Trucks

Meritor Inc. has rolled out a tire inflation system for long-haul highway trucks that monitors and adjusts tire pressure automatically while the vehicle is in motion.

Meritor began testing the system in several truck fleets in 2014. It expects to complete the evaluation this year and begin offering the system in North America as a factory-installed system in 2016.

The technology taps compressed air from the truck trailer's air supply while the vehicle is in motion to top up any tire that drops below a preset pressure. The system routes air through a control box and the trailer's axles to the tire in need.

The MTIS also can alert the driver if it detects air loss that requires continuous inflation, a condition signaling a likely puncture. Meritor says the system, which is self-contained on the trailer, can be installed in virtually any type of trailer.

Meritor notes that underinflated tires reduce performance, increase fuel costs and can reduce tread life by as much as 20%. It says tire companies estimate that 80% of commercial truck tire failures are a result of "creeping air loss" rather than sudden punctures.