What is it?

SensAiry is a simple tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that keeps a tab on the car tyres' pressure and temperature. And how does it do this? It uses an app on your smartphone paired to the supplied hardware that fits onto the tyres. In general, cars already equipped with a TPMS report the tyre pressure information through the instrument cluster or a guage or a warning light. SensAiry, on the other hand, is an after-market system that provides a little more information directly on to your phone. It can be bought and fitted on any vehicle with tubeless tyres to provide real-time tyre-pressure information to the driver/owner of the vehicle.

The company promises that SensAiry will not only keep the tyres in check, but it will also help one maintain high efficiency of the tyres, decrease the maintenance cost and protect the environment. We review this product that can be used for any vehicle with a maximum of 20 tubeless tyres and can be monitored through a single app. Let's delve deeper into the details then.

What's in the box?

The carton contains five sensors (TR-413SP), five stem valves, five mounting screws and five star-shaped washers. All these components exhibit good quality with robust build that should withstand our harsh conditions. Then, there’s also a small and friendly user guide. Do note that the stem valves in this pack are different from the standard ones. Apart from this, one just needs to install the SensAiry app on their phone (works on both iOS and Android). The sensors use Bluetooth LE for its communication and have built in pressure and temperature sensors.

How to install it?

Even if this SensAiry hardware looks like a plug-and-use system, it will require the help of a tyre technician. This is basically to get the tyres off the rim/alloy and install the sensor on it. Also, wheel balancing will be have to be done. Nonetheless, it is designed keeping both the vehicle owners and tyre technicians in mind making it simple to install.

We began by removing one tyre off the rim at a time. Once the rubber tyre is out, the technician will have to get off the original stem valve. This needs to be replaced with the stem valve provided with this kit. Insert the sensor onto the valve’s end with the printed side on top and screw it along with the washer. It fits nice and snug without moving/vibrating once the screw is tightened. Do this for all tyres you need to monitor (five in our case).

Next step is to switch on the phone’s Bluetooth, open the app and configure it with some simple steps. Though we’ve used an Android phone, SensAiry supports iOS beacons as well for the app to automatically connect to the sensors when the Apple phone is in the range. You can name your car on the app and edit all information that you feed. Once this is done, press the orange button on a sensor once to activate it. The app will identify and connect to one sensor automatically through Bluetooth. You just need to appropriately mention the tyre position on the app.

Now, even if you forget which sensor went in which tyre before specifying, here’s a small tip; just alter the tyre pressure to get a quick update on the app. Rename tyre position according to the sensor’s serial number. After this initial set-up, the app will remember all the configurations and keep syncing with the sensors by automatically connecting whenever the phone’s Bluetooth is on and you are nearby to them. You are all set for high precision measurement of air pressure and temperature of your car’s tyres.

Next update?

We are told the battery in the SensAiry sensor will last for more than five years. Efficient algorithms are used to have little to no impact even on the smart phone’s battery life. The maximum pressure SensAiry can measure is 100PSI. It has an accuracy of +/– 1PSI and temperature at an accuracy of +/- 5°C. Interestingly, and more importantly, each sensor can be configured for custom pressure threshold independently of each other. Furthermore, these sensors can work between temperatures ranging from -40°C to +105°C highlighting its durability.

We will use this product and keep an eye on its key features like continuous monitoring and providing benefits for enhancing fuel efficiency, extending tyre life, decreasing maintenance, increasing safety and eventually protecting the environment too. Our next comprehensive report will be out in the next three/six months giving us enough time to find out how the product is coping up. So come back in the New Year to find out what we have to say.

Pictures by Kaustubh Gandhi