Aperia’s Halo self-powered inflator

Aperia Technologies says its Halo Tire Inflator is commercially available for use on drive and trailer axles on medium and heavy-duty trucks and buses. Halo has successfully completed fleet evaluations for over two years, the company says, racking up 8 million miles of on-road testing from winters in Canada to summers in Florida and is the first complete automatic tire inflation solution to serve both tractors and trailers with either dual or wide-base tires.

Aperia notes the fuel savings that arise from properly inflated tires, citing research by the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that indicates a 1-2% fuel efficiency increase. Yet 55% of all truck tires on the road today are at least 5 psi from their target pressure, the company says, which also reduces tire life and increases annual tire costs by 10-15%. Underinflation is also responsible for one blowout per tractor-trailer per year. By eliminating tire underinflation, Aperia says the average fleet can save more than $2200 annually for each tractor-trailer.

Halo is an easy-to-install system that operates on a similar principle to a self-winding watch. The device uses a wheel’s rotational motion to pump and maintain optimal tire pressure. The system does not require any connection to a compressor and can be installed in five to 10 minutes per wheel end.

Made in the U.S., Halo is expected to operate effectively for 500,000 miles or 10 years. California-based Aperia Technologies was founded in 2010 by two Stanford University mechanical engineering graduate students.