Bluetooth Channel Sounding and Tire Pressure Monitoring Demoed by Silicon Labs at Embedded World 2026

At Embedded World 2026, Silicon Labs demonstrated how Bluetooth technology can support both real-time tire pressure monitoring and precise proximity detection using a scaled vehicle demo. The setup showed sensors inside the tires wirelessly transmitting pressure data to a central control unit while maintaining reliable communication in demanding conditions such as high speeds and elevated temperatures. Alongside this, the company demonstrated Bluetooth Channel Sounding, a method that measures distance between devices more accurately than traditional RSSI-based techniques. In the live demo, the system detected when a user approached the vehicle and automatically opened the door, closing it again as they moved away. Together, these demonstrations highlighted how Bluetooth hardware can support sensing, telemetry, and proximity-aware interaction in automotive and IoT applications.

A Demo Focused on Automotive Wireless Systems

The miniature vehicle used in the demonstration represented two technologies commonly found in modern automotive electronics. The wireless systems behind it mirror real implementations used in connected vehicles.

The first system focused on tire pressure monitoring, where sensors embedded in the wheels transmit pressure data back to the vehicle’s electronic control unit. The second demonstrated Bluetooth Channel Sounding, which measures the distance between two devices and can be used for proximity-based features such as automatic vehicle access.

Wireless Tire Pressure Monitoring with the BG22

In the first part of the demo, tire pressure sensors sent real-time data wirelessly to the ECU. Monitoring pressure continuously allows vehicle systems to detect unsafe conditions quickly and alert the driver or onboard systems if the pressure drops outside safe ranges.

These sensors must operate reliably while wheels rotate at high speeds and temperatures increase. Silicon Labs highlighted its BG22 Bluetooth SoC for this application, which provides strong receive sensitivity and transmit performance to maintain stable communication between the tire sensors and the vehicle’s control system.

How Bluetooth Channel Sounding Measures Distance

The second demonstration focused on Bluetooth Channel Sounding, a technique designed to calculate the distance between two Bluetooth devices more accurately than traditional signal strength methods. Instead of relying only on RSSI, the system analyses signal phase information or timing measurements exchanged between devices.

Devices take on the roles of initiator and reflector, exchanging data that allows the system to determine the distance between them. By measuring phase differences or round-trip signal time, the technology can provide stable proximity detection for applications such as secure device access and positioning.

Proximity Detection for Automatic Vehicle Access

The demo used Bluetooth Channel Sounding to control a car door based on distance. As the user walked toward the vehicle, the system detected the decreasing distance between the devices and triggered the door to open automatically.

When the user moved away, the system recognised the increasing distance and closed the door again. Because the measurement remains stable even when the device is placed in a pocket, this type of distance detection can support applications such as passive vehicle entry, smart locks, and other proximity-based automation systems.

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