Koala Technologies Unveils Te.Sense Bloom
Chicago-based Koala Technologies LLC (KTL) has introduced Te.Sense Bloom, a breakthrough in non-destructive rapid tyre deflation testing.
www.koala-technologies.com
Fully compliant with FMVSS 110 and emerging EV stability test standards, this cost-effective and reusable solution allows passenger car OEMs and tyre manufacturers to optimise test programmes while reducing waste. The first U.S.-specification kit has been delivered to the Transportation Research Center in Ohio for initial evaluations.
Less waste, more control of test programmes and costs
Rapid tyre deflation tests often involve driving a vehicle over special roadway cleats at defined speeds. With this method, tyres are destructively punctured and destroyed by the cleats, and internal inflation pressure is quickly reduced to atmospheric pressure. Sometimes the purpose of these tests (such as with FMVSS 110) is to ensure that tyres stay safely seated on the wheels after rapid deflation; in other cases, the test measures and evaluates vehicle lateral stability criteria during tyre failure events. The roadway cleats used typically destroy multiple tyres, e.g., both right-side tyres would be punctured by the same cleat, even when only the front tyre requires testing. This more costly and wasteful double-puncture effect not only destroys more tyres than needed, but it may also corrupt certain vehicle dynamics tests that call for a single, targeted tyre failure.
An affordable solution
Te.Sense Bloom provides a non-destructive alternative that allows controlled, rapid deflation of individually selected tyres. The device uses a controllable central air ejector valve with a volume and flow capacity that simulates a sudden tyre pressure loss event. Using air valves in such a way for vehicle and tyre testing is, in itself, not a new approach. KTL’s innovations relate to the turn-key nature of Te.Sense Bloom for automotive testers and engineers, providing a repeatable set up method, easy in-car operation, and simple connectivity with data acquisition systems. As part of its comprehensive supply to Te.Sense Bloom customers, KTL even offers a wheel setup service to simplify test preparations.
In this way Te.Sense Bloom is a more efficient and affordable solution for rapid tyre deflation tests since it eliminates many of the recurring costs associated with this type of testing. With base kits starting from $USD 20k, customers can invest in a transportable, reusable test system that allows full control of test schedules and methods.
Real-time data, in-car deployment
With Te.Sense Bloom, a rapid tyre deflation event can be triggered from inside the vehicle or remotely, further expanding test scenario possibilities. Suitable for testing tyre inflation pressures up to 100 PSI and speeds up to 140 km/h (87 mph), Te.Sense Bloom captures precise, real-time tyre inflation pressure data – at 100 Hz, accurate to +/-0.1 PSI – enabling detailed analysis of tyre and vehicle responses during rapid (below 750 ms) tyre deflations.
“We have significant experience with rapid tyre deflation tests, using all types of methods, and we’re looking forward to evaluating KTL’s Te.Sense Bloom, since it represents a turn-key, non-destructive solution,” says Kenneth Martin, Head of Tyre Testing at the Transportation Research Center. “There’s definitely some baseline justification for test equipment like this because it fundamentally means consuming fewer tyres. But Te.Sense Bloom’s inherent connectivity opens some other doors also, since triggered and monitored rapid tyre deflations are becoming an area of interest for vehicle stability testing, especially in EV space.”
Futureproof for EV vehicle stability tests
As well as meeting FMVSS 110 requirements, Te.Sense Bloom is compliant with a number of emerging electric vehicle (EV) stability testing standards. EV lateral stability tests with failed tyres, with and without drive motor engagement, are already mandatory in some markets, such as China. Unlike cleat testing, which can affect multiple tyres, certain EV vehicle stability tests require targeting individual tyres to ensure failsafe compliance. Te.Sense Bloom is already in use by Chinese OEMs and automotive system providers such as Huawei AITO, SAIC Motor Corp and GAC Motor to conduct regulatory tests such as GB/T 38796-2020 (“Performance Requirements and Test Methods of Automobile Blow-out Emergency Safety Device”).
Founded in 2021, Koala Technologies offers professional automotive testing, measurement, and evaluation tools to the US market and beyond. KTL Founder and President, Mike Lee, explains, “Koala Technologies is excited to introduce Te.Sense Bloom into new markets, beginning in 2025. Bloom has been widely adopted for vehicle development testing in China over the last several years, becoming a must-have tool for many OEMs and key suppliers. It’s one example, among many, of an excellent, trusted, useful automotive testing device that no one knows about outside China.” Lee continues, “A part of our mission at KTL is to shine a light on some of these exciting technologies that are currently available, but not widely known. Another part of our mission is to help customers achieve their goals more efficiently and at a lower cost. We look forward to the upcoming testing at the Transportation Research Center in Ohio, and we hope that Te.Sense Bloom proves to be a good fit for automotive development programmes in the U.S and beyond.”
KTL Te.Sense Bloom key performance specifications
- Vehicle Speed Range: 0 - 140 km/h
- Tyre Pressure Range: 0 - 100 psi
- Tyre Pressure Resolution: ± 0.1 psi
- Tyre Pressure Data Acquisition: 100 Hz
- KTL Te.Sense Bloom key features and benefits
Non-destructive testing: Eliminates wasteful puncture methods
- Cost savings: Reduces tyre consumption and testing expenses
- Targeted deflation control: Allows precise, single-tyre testing for accurate results
- Compliance-ready: Meets FMVSS 110 and global EV stability test standards
- Advanced data capture: Real-time pressure data at 100 Hz with ±0.1 PSI accuracy
