I took a few minutes to read up on the original regulations for TPMS, which you can read here, if you like:

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2002/06/05/02-13915/federal-motor-vehicle-safety-standards-tire-pressure-monitoring-systems-controls-and-displays

Way back in 2002, the US government was putting in place the regulations (which came into force in 2008) that mandated TPMS. Amazing.

TPMS is (mainly) an "underinflation warning system."

The top three consequences of underinflation listed in that document are:

1. Reduced Vehicle Safety�Tire Failures and Increases in Stopping Distance

2. Reduced Tread Life

3. Reduced Fuel Economy

Most of the official references to TPMS mention the safety aspect (an estimated 120 lives saved per year in the USA), but there are definitely other benefits to drivers in the area of saving tires and fuel.

Vanagon drivers, who are probably more in tune with the oddities of their vehicle (dare I say paranoid...??), might not be as in need of a TPMS system as the general population. On the other hand, we are likely over-represented in the "diddler" quotient of the population (Alistair's term __) and would like a system like this if only for the blinkenlights aspect.

I am sorely tempted, but I park in a garage so it would be perpetually out of batteries and I would have to endure (yet another) round of scorn from my better half, who already thinks my "Vanagon gadget lust" is approaching dementia stages.

...r