Japanese tire maker Yokohama has released details of its medium- and long-term plans for the development of its tire sensing technology, SensorTire.
The company says the aim of its ‘SensorTire Technology Vision’ is to support mobility, while also addressing changes in mobility demand through providing data obtained from SensorTires (Internet of Things [IoT] tires) fitted with sensing functionality to drivers and external enterprise operators.
The company states will categorize the services it provides by the type of sensors used, developing sensing functions, data analysis and prediction technology specifically suited to each service. It notes that an air-pressure alert service for individual owners as well as vehicle operation management companies will be the first service trialled, with a tread wear detection function added by 2023. This will provide users with information such as notifications when tire rotation is due, and aid fleet operators with proposals for efficient tire inspection plans.
In the longer term, the company says it will move to connect tire data with map data and traffic-congestion, weather and other data from other vehicles, in order to propose safe driving routes to users.
Yokohama is also conducting joint research and development with Japanese electronics specialist Alps Alpine with an eye to further supplementing the established function of its tire air pressure detection systems with tread wear- and road surface-detection capabilities.
