Wireless & Batteryless High-T Probe for Real-Time Monitoring of Rotating Automotive Components

Accurate and robust temperature monitoring of rotating and high-temperature components remains a critical challenge in automotive Test & Measurement, particularly during dynamic vehicle testing. Traditional wired sensing approaches, such as thermocouples, are not viable for components in motion, while current wireless solutions often fail to withstand the harsh conditions of critical subsystems like brake assemblies, wheel rims, and powertrain interfaces. Moreover, commercially available passive RFID tags with integrated temperature sensors are typically limited to operational temperatures below 130° C, rendering them unsuitable for applications where temperatures can exceed 250° C. In this work, we present the design and characterization of a novel passive RFID-based sensing architecture for high-temperature applications on rotating vehicle components. The system is based on the AS2312 UHF RFID chip by Asygn, which enables direct interfacing with external resistive sensors. A thermally robust sensing node is realized by integrating an NTC thermistor via a half-bridge configuration, with the RFID chip and antenna placed in cooler zone and the sensing element positioned near the thermal hotspot. Inlab characterization demonstrated the feasibility of measuring temperatures exceeding 250° C with an RMSE of 16.5° C, mainly concentrated at low temperatures.