Fobo has started an Indiegogo campaign for a device that uses Bluetooth sensors to keep track of tire pressure.
The device, called Fobo Tire, is able to send the information it finds to a smartphone or in-car receiver, according to CNET. The sensors are placed on top of the tires' fill values and will continuously monitor the pressure of the tires they are assigned to. Bluetooth is used to transfer the information to the user's smartphone or in-car receiver.
Creators of the Fobo System said the sensors have a battery life of two years because Bluetooth uses a low amount of energy.
Jonathon Ho Chang Tih, senior manager of Salutica, the Malaysian company making Fobo Tire, said the sensors work 24/7 and will send alerts to the user if he or she has a flat tire, CNET reported. He added that users will be able to receive alerts if they are within 10 to 30 meters of the device. When the user is out of range, the alert will sound when he/she gets close to the car.
The device presents a new way for drivers to make sure their tires are inflated, which can improve gas mileage while keeping cars and drivers safe.
Fobo said it tested Fobo Tire in both extreme hot and cold environments, and that the device is durable and waterproof, Gizmag reported.
The company also addressed the fear of the sensors getting stolen, saying they will only work with the user's Fobo cloud account.
To make theft of the sensors even more difficult, Fobo is developing a lock nut that can only be removed with a special wrench, CNET reported.
Fobo Tire's Indiegogo campaign has already surpassed its goal of $28,000, obtaining pledges of over $74,000. While the company had sold out its $75 specials for early backers, those interested in the device can still buy it, along with the in-car unit, for $90, and have 37 days left to do so.
