Although looked down upon, and looking very technologically backward, the tires are actually one of the most critical elements in a car (old cars did have tires, but did not have airbags, for instance). They are one of the most important factors in driving on various surfaces (dry or icy) and are vital system components when trying to prevent accidents. Incorrectly inflated tires are known to have contributed to a significant percentage of road accidents. Even when not producing any straightforward accident, low pressure tires continuously harm the environment by increasing the carbon dioxide emissions of the car (and correcting it is completely costless and easy, as long as you know the car has a problem). To assist the driver in this respect, tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are employed in many premium cars today.