Spehro Pefhany <speff <at> interlog.com> writes:
> That's my understanding. However, I'm not convinced it was a good
> decision. Other half's Nissan has suffered two cracked sensors,
> and the sensors cannot be paired with the computer without
> equipment that only dealers have. It was $300 with labor & tax to replace
> one. My car (different make) has the sensor alarm on continuously
> though the pressures are okay. Only two data points, but they are not
> encouraging. Maybe tires were getting too reliable so they had to
> add something that would break more easily.

I agree with Spehro here, this looks a lot like yet another
bells and whistles feature added just when tyres and roads
have become so reliable that the tyre market is suffering.
Also, it resembles the inkjet printer 'market' way too much
to not be noticed as such. An additional wrinkle will likely
be the necessary emergence of 'alternative' chipped tyre sources
which will actually present some hazard, unlike the inkjet carts.
For $300 parts and labor, assuming the chip is $3 to $10, a
very healthy margin is left for counterfeiters to feast on.

I have no doubt that we will assist to a 'chip war' of the kind
seen with inkjet carts, with added 'insurance' and 'hazard to
life' arguments.

The idea to chip tyres is old, and it had something to do with
safety, once upon a time, I think. Design by committee is man-made=20
hell by committee. Of course, by that, I have in view, that the
chipped tyres will be mandatory soon, 'for safety'. In this country
(EU new member) winter tyres were made mandatory last year, causing
a large rush for tyres in Autumn. It just so happens that the tyre
industry has some factories here which were happy to help out. In
the Balkans, one always surmises the unspoken and unwritten parts
of all large public moves towards the "common good".

There is already talk about 24/7 data loggers in cars, to be made
mandatory too. That will be another can of worms.

--Peter


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