Nira Dynamics AB
Encyclopedia
NIRA Dynamics AB is a Swedish
company focusing on research and development of signal processing and control systems for the automotive industry
. Since 2001, it supplies automotive original equipment manufacturer
s (OEMs) and suppliers in Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia with its products and systems. In 2011, the number of vehicles equipped with NIRA's main product, TPI, reached the benchmark of 1,000,000.
, Sweden.
During the early period, NIRA Dynamics developed the first two of its products: the anti-spin system NSC and a positioning system MAP.
NSC received the Volvo Technology Award and until 2004 was featured in the Volvo S40
and V40 models under the name DSA (Dynamic Stability Assistance). Since 2007, NSC is in series production and featured in a line of motorcycles from one of the motorcycle manufacturers.
In 2008, NIRA was presented the European Automotive Chassis Product of the Year Award by Frost & Sullivan for its product TPI.
At present, NIRA has a next development being ready to become a product: the data logger with the prototype name T-Recs Box.
NIRA Dynamics holds an ISO 9001:2000 certificate stating that it has efficient and structured processes and tools to manage collaborative development projects in international environments.
s. At the moment, TPI is current installed in several Audi
models (the A3
, A4
, A5
, A6
, A7
, A8
, Q5
, Q7
, and TT
); several Volkswagen
models (Golf
, Jetta
, Passat
, and Sharan
); and the SEAT Exeo
. The system meets the American FMVSS 138 and the European ECE R-64 safety regulations on tire pressure monitoring systems. TPI is a software component that uses wheel vibration resonance measurement to estimate tire pressure from the signals of the wheel speed sensors that are part of the anti-lock braking system
(ABS) and electronic stability control
system (ESC). It is active after five minutes of calibration after which, it becomes self-learning. TPI does not require any in-wheel pressure sensors and RF (radio frequency
) components. The Audi TT series was the first to be equipped with TPI, in 2006. The Audi A4 and A5 models followed the next year.. TPI can be fit into different electronic stability control hardware hosts, including those of Continental AG
, Lear Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH
, and TRW Automotive
.
NIRA Dynamics is developing sensor fusion
based systems for different vehicle applications. Sensor fusion or or sensor data fusion is the use of information from several different physical sensors to compute new virtual sensor signals. The virtual sensors can be of two different types: improved versions of physical sensor signals, or soft sensors that have no direct physical counterpart among the sensors used.
TPI Light is a product for vehicles with built-in anti-lock braking system
(which is standard in most cars) but no electronic stability control
system (which is not standard, particularly in emerging markets).
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
company focusing on research and development of signal processing and control systems for the automotive industry
Automotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
. Since 2001, it supplies automotive original equipment manufacturer
Original Equipment Manufacturer
An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, manufactures products or components that are purchased by a company and retailed under that purchasing company's brand name. OEM refers to the company that originally manufactured the product. When referring to automotive parts, OEM designates a...
s (OEMs) and suppliers in Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia with its products and systems. In 2011, the number of vehicles equipped with NIRA's main product, TPI, reached the benchmark of 1,000,000.
History
NIRA was founded in 2002.It is located at Mjärdevi Science Park in LinköpingLinköping
Linköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
, Sweden.
During the early period, NIRA Dynamics developed the first two of its products: the anti-spin system NSC and a positioning system MAP.
NSC received the Volvo Technology Award and until 2004 was featured in the Volvo S40
Volvo S40
The Volvo S40 is a small family car produced by Volvo. It introduced the first generation S40 and V40 cars in 1995...
and V40 models under the name DSA (Dynamic Stability Assistance). Since 2007, NSC is in series production and featured in a line of motorcycles from one of the motorcycle manufacturers.
In 2008, NIRA was presented the European Automotive Chassis Product of the Year Award by Frost & Sullivan for its product TPI.
At present, NIRA has a next development being ready to become a product: the data logger with the prototype name T-Recs Box.
NIRA Dynamics holds an ISO 9001:2000 certificate stating that it has efficient and structured processes and tools to manage collaborative development projects in international environments.
Technology and products
NIRA Dynamics' core product is its Tire Pressure Indicator (TPI), an indirect tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) capable of detecting tire underinflation in one, two, three or all four tireTire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
s. At the moment, TPI is current installed in several Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
models (the A3
Audi A3
The Audi A3 is a small family car produced by the German automaker Audi since 1996. Two generations of A3 exist, both based on the Volkswagen Group A platform, which they share with several other models such as the Audi TT, Volkswagen Golf, Volkswagen Caddy and Volkswagen Touran as well as SEAT...
, A4
Audi A4
The first generation Audi A4 debuted in 1994, with production starting November 1994. It was built on the Volkswagen Group B5 platform, which it shared with the fourth generation Volkswagen Passat . It had a front-mounted longitudinal engine and front-wheel drive...
, A5
Audi A5
The Audi A5 is a coupé produced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi since 2007. It is the coupé, cabriolet, and five-door fastback versions of the fourth generation Audi A4 saloon and estate models....
, A6
Audi A6
The Audi A6 is an executive car marketed by the German automaker Audi AG, now in its fourth generation. As the successor to the Audi 100, the A6 is manufactured in Neckarsulm, Germany – and is available in saloon, and wagon configurations, the latter marketed by Audi as the Avant.All generations...
, A7
Audi A7
The Audi Sportback concept is a concept car produced by Audi, shown at the 2009 North American International Auto Show. The Sportback concept, a luxury five-door fastback model, was regarded as a preview of two future models: the Audi A5 Sportback variant and the Audi A7...
, A8
Audi A8
The Audi A8 is a four-door, full-size, luxury sedan car manufactured and marketed by the German automaker Audi since 1994. Succeeding the Audi V8, the A8 has been offered with front wheel drive or permanent four-wheel drive, with multitronic or tiptronic automatic transmissions — and in short- and...
, Q5
Audi Q5
The Audi Q5 is a compact crossover SUV which was released by German automaker Audi for the 2009 model year. It is built using the new Audi MLP platform which debuted in the 2007 Audi A5 coupé. The Q5 is the second Audi model in the "Q" range, after the full-size Q7...
, Q7
Audi Q7
The Audi Q7 is a full-size luxury crossover SUV unveiled in September 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Production of the Q7 began in autumn of 2005 in Bratislava, Slovakia. It is the first SUV offering from Audi and went on sale in 2007. Later, Audi's second SUV, the Q5, was unveiled as a 2009...
, and TT
Audi TT
The Audi TT is a two-door sports car manufactured by the German automaker and Volkswagen Group subsidiary Audi since 1998.The Audi TT has been produced in two generations. Both generations have been available in two car body styles; as a 2+2 Coupé, or two-seater Roadster...
); several Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
models (Golf
Volkswagen Golf
The Volkswagen Golf is a small family car manufactured by Volkswagen since 1974 and marketed worldwide across six generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates – as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada , and as the Volkswagen Caribe in Mexico .The...
, Jetta
Volkswagen Jetta
Although the Golf had reached considerable success, in the North American markets, Volkswagen observed that the hatchback body style lacked some of the appeal to those who preferred the traditional three-box configuration...
, Passat
Volkswagen Passat
The Volkswagen Passat is a large family car marketed by Volkswagen Passenger Cars through six design generations since 1973. Between the Volkswagen Golf / Volkswagen Jetta and the Volkswagen Phaeton in the current Volkswagen line-up, the Passat and its derivatives have been badged variously as...
, and Sharan
Volkswagen Sharan
The Volkswagen Sharan is a large MPV produced by the German automaker Volkswagen since 1995.-First generation :The name Sharan is derived from a Persian word meaning "Carrier of Kings"....
); and the SEAT Exeo
SEAT Exeo
The SEAT Exeo is a five-seat large family car, and flagship model, built by the Spanish car manufacturer, and Volkswagen Group subsidiary SEAT, S.A., with factory production commencing in December 2008....
. The system meets the American FMVSS 138 and the European ECE R-64 safety regulations on tire pressure monitoring systems. TPI is a software component that uses wheel vibration resonance measurement to estimate tire pressure from the signals of the wheel speed sensors that are part of the anti-lock braking system
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
(ABS) and electronic stability control
Electronic stability control
Electronic stability control is a computerized technology that may potentially improve the safety of a vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing skids. When ESC detects loss of steering control, it automatically applies the brakes to help "steer" the vehicle where the driver intends to go...
system (ESC). It is active after five minutes of calibration after which, it becomes self-learning. TPI does not require any in-wheel pressure sensors and RF (radio frequency
Radio frequency
Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...
) components. The Audi TT series was the first to be equipped with TPI, in 2006. The Audi A4 and A5 models followed the next year.. TPI can be fit into different electronic stability control hardware hosts, including those of Continental AG
Continental AG
Continental AG, internally often called Conti for short, is a worldwide leading German manufacturer of tires, brake systems, vehicle stability control systems, engine injection systems, tachographs and other parts for the automotive and transport industries. The company is based in Hanover, Germany...
, Lear Corporation, Robert Bosch GmbH
Robert Bosch GmbH
Robert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
, and TRW Automotive
TRW Automotive
TRW Automotive , headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, USA, is a major global supplier of automotive systems, modules and components to automotive original equipment manufacturers and related aftermarkets....
.
NIRA Dynamics is developing sensor fusion
Sensor fusion
Sensor fusion is the combining of sensory data or data derived from sensory data from disparate sources such that the resulting information is in some sense better than would be possible when these sources were used individually...
based systems for different vehicle applications. Sensor fusion or or sensor data fusion is the use of information from several different physical sensors to compute new virtual sensor signals. The virtual sensors can be of two different types: improved versions of physical sensor signals, or soft sensors that have no direct physical counterpart among the sensors used.
TPI Light is a product for vehicles with built-in anti-lock braking system
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
(which is standard in most cars) but no electronic stability control
Electronic stability control
Electronic stability control is a computerized technology that may potentially improve the safety of a vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing skids. When ESC detects loss of steering control, it automatically applies the brakes to help "steer" the vehicle where the driver intends to go...
system (which is not standard, particularly in emerging markets).