Autonomous Dynamic Load Adjusted Central Tire Inflation System (ADLACTIS)

Research has uncovered that the tires of the Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs) do not carry the weight of the loads equally even if the tires are inflated equally, resulting in an imbalance of the load on the tires, which reduces stopping power, decreases maneuverability and drivability, and increases driver crash risk. Without tire pressure adjustment to load and use, driver safety, tire life, and fuel efficiency is compromised. To address the challenges of individual tire inflation based on load, RIX Industries proposes this Phase I program to design a Weight Equalization Smart Automatic Tire Inflation System (WESATIS) that will automatically adapt for conditions while the truck is in motion creating a dynamic and accurate weight distribution on all tires in a group. The proposed project will examine how to change the pressure across the CMV tires on both the power unit and trailer. At the completion of Phase I, RIX will have designed a prototype WESATIS with basic demonstrability, established an expected equipment cost, and conducted preliminary market analysis and associated economic factors. In Phase II, RIX would work to develop a full scale WESATIS system, install onto a CMV, and conduct initial testing of the WESATIS.