Continental has launched ContiConnect Lite, a new app version for digital tire management. ContiConnect Lite creates a bridge between tire sensors and professional tire management and offers a free-of-charge gateway to selected ContiConnect features. It can now be used on tires with an integrated Gen2 sensor. Since this year, Continental has been delivering its off-the-road (OTR) radial tires with a Bluetooth-enabled sensor ex factory. “Digital tire management contributes to greater safety, efficiency and sustainability, especially in the areas of earthmoving, agriculture, and at ports”, says Martijn Oosterbaan, Head of Product Management at Continental Specialty Tires. Thanks to a Bluetooth-enabled sensor, the tire data can be read directly via smartphone. “This makes access to digital tire management particularly easy,” says Oosterbaan. In addition to OTR tires, Continental also offers digital tire management to its truck tire customers.
The requirements for specialty tires are particularly high. They are designed for high-performance vehicles and are used, for example, on loaders, tractors and port and terminal vehicles. ContiConnect Lite helps fleet managers to monitor the condition of their tires. Oosterbaan: “Our offering is suited to smaller fleet customers, such as those at recycling centers, asphalt mixing plants and container handling facilities.” ContiConnect Lite requires no additional hardware other than the Gen2 tire sensor and a mobile device. “Drivers or fleet managers simply self-register themselves via Smartphone,” says Oosterbaan. They can then modify the vehicle and connect their vehicles via Bluetooth with the sensor inside the tire and access a limited version of the ContiConnect App. In total, three users can be registered free of charge. If there is a change in tire pressure or temperature, drivers are immediately informed via push notification.
With its factory-installed Gen2-sensors in specialty tires, the tire manufacturer continues to drive forward the digitalization of fleets. For example, its EM-Master and LD-master product lines are available for construction machines and loaders, its ContainerMaster Radial product line for large forklifts and reach stackers in port terminal operations, and its VF TractorMaster Hybrid for tractors. Digital tire management helps to achieve maximum service life, which reduces the total cost of ownership and promotes sustainable use of materials.
