Tyre Pressure and Brake Temperature Monitoring: A Guide for Australian Fleets

Proper tyre inflation is critical for the safety, performance, and cost-efficiency of fleet vehicles, making tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) an indispensable feature. But what exactly is TPMS, how does it work, and why is it important for Australian fleets?

This guide covers everything you need to know about TPMS, focusing on key challenges faced by fleets in Australia such as tyre loss due to pressure issues, asset loss from fire risks, high fuel consumption, late deliveries caused by punctures, time lost collecting odometer data, and managing high workshop loads with reactive maintenance.

It also covers brake temperature monitoring, which is a separate system solving a different problem, and what Australian regulations actually require of both.

What is TPMS?

TPMS, or tyre pressure monitoring system, tracks the tyre pressure levels of a vehicle and alerts drivers promptly when there is a significant deviation or imbalance. These systems are vital to maintain optimal tyre conditions, preventing blowouts, a common cause of accidents and breakdowns on Australian roads.

How does TPMS work?

TPMS uses compact sensors installed on each wheel to measure tyre pressure. This data is transmitted wirelessly to a central system, which triggers alerts when pressure falls below safe levels. TPMS comes in two main types.

Direct TPMS

Direct TPMS uses sensors on each wheel’s valve to provide real-time tyre pressure and temperature readings, sending instant alerts if any tyre is underinflated or overheating.

Pros: highly accurate readings, no need for recalibration after inflation or rotation, and longer sensor battery life.

Cons: sensors can be damaged during tyre changes, and the cost is higher.

Indirect TPMS

Indirect TPMS estimates tyre pressure by monitoring wheel rotation speeds via ABS sensors. An underinflated tyre rotates faster, triggering alerts.

Pros: more cost-effective, and less frequent calibration.

Cons: requires resetting after maintenance, less precise readings, and it can misinterpret tyre wear.

For heavy fleets, direct TPMS is usually the practical choice. It reports actual pressure and temperature per wheel position rather than inferring a problem from rotation speed, and on a B-double with twenty-two or more tyre positions, knowing which wheel is the point of the exercise.

What brake temperature monitoring is, and why it is separate

Tyre pressure monitoring and brake temperature monitoring are often sold together and are frequently confused. They are not the same thing and they catch different failures.

Brake temperature monitoring uses sensors at the wheel end to track how hot the brakes are running, and reports that back in real time alongside the rest of the vehicle data. What it detects is a brake that is working harder than the others: a dragging brake, an imbalance across an axle group, or a trailer doing more of the braking than it should be.

That matters for two reasons. A brake running consistently hot is a brake wearing out early, so the reading is a maintenance signal before it is a safety one. And on a long descent with a heavy load, brake temperature is the number that tells you whether a problem is developing while there is still time to act.

The overlap with tyre monitoring is real, which is part of why they are confused. An overheating brake transfers heat into the wheel and the tyre next to it, so a temperature reading can be the first sign of a problem that is not actually about the tyre at all. Fleets running trailers tend to find that the two systems are most useful read together rather than separately.

Manual tyre checks are still essential

TPMS alerts warn you of significant pressure drops, but this does not replace regular manual inspections. Fleet drivers should routinely check tyre pressure with a gauge and inspect tread depth. This helps detect minor issues before they escalate, and verifies TPMS accuracy.

Recording those checks matters as much as doing them. Vehicle checks completed on a device rather than on paper give you a record that can be produced later, and our guide to automated vehicle inspections covers how that works in practice.

Is TPMS mandatory in Australia?

No. There is no Australian Design Rule requiring tyre pressure monitoring on any category of vehicle. ADR 95/00 covers tyre installation standards and contains no TPMS requirement.

This is worth stating plainly because the opposite is widely repeated. Several international sources claim TPMS became mandatory in Australia in 2012 or 2015. It did not, and it has not since.

What does apply to a heavy fleet:

• The Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation requires that the wheels and tyres fitted to an axle are of sufficient size and capacity to carry the mass transmitted through that axle.
  
  
• Tyre and brake condition sit within general roadworthiness obligations and within Chain of Responsibility, so the duty reaches the operator and not only the driver.
  
  
• Australia effectively mandated EBS on new trailers in 2019. That matters here because trailer EBS is the data path many pressure and temperature systems use to get information to the prime mover.

For contrast, the European Union adopted UN ECE Regulation 141, which requires a functioning tyre pressure monitoring system, for new commercial vehicle and heavy trailer approvals from July 2022 and for all new registrations from July 2024. Australia participates in the UN ECE framework but has not adopted that regulation. Whether it eventually does is a live question in the industry rather than a settled one.

Loss of asset due to fire risk

One of the most critical risks tied to poor tyre maintenance is tyre-related fires. Underinflated or damaged tyres can overheat, especially during long trips on Australia’s extensive highways and in hot climates.

Overheating may lead to tyre blowouts that can spark fires, resulting in severe asset damage, endangering driver safety, and causing costly operational disruptions.

Maintaining correct tyre pressure helps reduce the risk of overheating and fire. Early warnings allow fleet managers to intervene before minor tyre issues escalate into dangerous and costly incidents, protecting both lives and valuable assets.

Other key fleet challenges addressed by pressure and temperature monitoring

• Loss of tyres due to pressure issues: regular monitoring prevents blowouts and premature tyre wear.
  
  
• High fuel consumption: correct tyre inflation improves fuel efficiency, cutting costs and emissions.
  
  
• Late deliveries from punctures: early detection reduces breakdowns and downtime.
  
  
• Time loss collecting odometer data: integrated solutions can automate fleet data collection.
  
  
• High workshop load and reactive maintenance: proactive maintenance reduces unexpected repairs and workshop strain.

TPMS servicing and maintenance

Direct TPMS sensors have batteries that eventually require replacement. Sensors may also fail due to weather, corrosion, or damage. Regular servicing with specialist diagnostic tools ensures system accuracy and prevents problems at roadworthy or registration inspection. Valve caps and cores should be replaced during tyre changes to maintain airtight seals. Indirect TPMS systems require recalibration after tyre inflation or rotation, but have no batteries to replace.

Why this matters for Australian fleets

Underinflated tyres are a major cause of accidents, increased fuel consumption, and costly maintenance. Monitoring pressure and temperature together improves:

• Safety: improves vehicle control and reduces accident risk.
• Cost efficiency: cuts downtime, repairs, and tyre replacement frequency.
• Fuel economy: helps maintain optimal pressure for better mileage.
• Asset protection: prevents tyre-related fires and damage.

Australian operators are already doing this. Oceania Glass describes the problem it set out to solve as keeping an eye on tyre pressures and trailer brake temperatures in real time, and catching punctures and overheating brakes before they became major problems. Ladher Express runs pressure monitoring, safety cameras, and alerts across its B-double operations. Freestone’s Transport went looking for a solution that could manage tyre pressures, brake temperatures, and live alerts across trucks and B-double trailers.

Bringing pressure and temperature together

Read separately, a pressure alert and a temperature alert are two maintenance jobs. Read together, and alongside the rest of the vehicle data, they start to tell you something about how the fleet is being run: which trailers are consistently working harder, which routes punish equipment, and which combinations are wearing out early. Our guides to trailer tracking and connected trailer technology cover how that data comes together, and the complete guide to fleet management sets out the wider picture.

At MICHELIN Connected Fleet we understand the challenges Australian fleets face, from heat and distance to the workshop load that reactive maintenance creates. Our trailer management solution provides real-time alerts on tyre pressure and temperature thresholds, and we work with transport and logistics operators across Australia on exactly this.

If you want to protect your assets, reduce fuel costs, and improve fleet safety, then be sure to make an enquiry into our services today.