It was about time car tires joined the Internet of things. The Fobo tire pressure monitor can display on your smartphones the status of your car’s tires.
Driving with a leaky tire represents a danger not only for you, but also for the other drivers. Fobo’s hi-tech Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) looks to change all that by making you aware at all times (even when you’re far away from the car) of how well inflated the tires are.
Fobo’s solution is quite simple. Each tire gets equipped with an individual sensor that transmits to your smartphone all the necessary data.
Installing the individual sensor is quite intuitive, actually. All you need to do is replace the wee cap of the tire with a Bluetooth 4.0-enabled smart gauge.
While the sensors are each powered by a CR2032 button battery, the In-Car unit makes use of two AA batteries. Considering that it’s Bluetooth LE that these sensors are using, the batteries will drain very slowly. You are recommended to keep some backup batteries in your glove compartment, anyway, just in case they run out unexpectedly.
Using Bluetooth LE, the sensors communicate with your Android or iOS smartphone or tablet, and display the pressure in each tire, so that you know exactly which one needs to be inflated.
Fobo Tire sensors are waterproof and durable, so you don’t have to worry if you left your car in the rain. They have also been tested in extreme hot and cold weather conditions, which means that they can be successfully used across the globe.
Should you forget your smartphone at home or at work, Fobo has your back covered. That’s exactly what the In-Car unit is for.
The app provides each car on which Fobo’s TPMS is installed a unique identifier. The good news is that up to 20 cars can be controlled using the same smartphone. It’s good to see that both Android and iOS versions of the app are available, as it has become a trend for tech companies to offer companion apps solely for the iPhone.
The smart gauge is available either in silver or black, so it won’t make a discordant note with the rims.
Fobo looked to crowdfund its Tire Pressure Monitoring System, and the Indiegogo campaign was a major success, getting several times the amount needed for mass-producing the kit.
Should everything work out as planned, backers who pledged $90 or more should receive a Fobo Tire kit this November.
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