Practical testing of a sensor attached to the inner surface of a tire has been carried out by Yokohama Rubber and Zenrin, as part of a pilot study investigating road-surface and tread wear measurement using an IoT-enabled road surface-sensing system.
The Yokohama-developed tire sensor works in conjunction with an in-vehicle device designed by Alps Alpine that has been attached to test vehicles, with map data supplied by Zenrin.
The practical test program is being carried out to ensure the sensors on the tires’ inner surface meet durability standards and that the new tire air pressure remote access system (TPRS) works correctly when monitoring tire pressures from inside the vehicle on the Alps Alpine device.
The TPRS will enable real-time remote monitoring of tire pressures in addition to tire temperature and the vehicle’s location. Data will then be saved in real time to a cloud server.
Yokohama Rubber predicts that the system will generate tire maintenance cost savings due to the efficient and precise management of a vehicle’s tires. The company believes it will also benefit vehicle owners in terms of safety, as potential accident-causing abnormalities can be spotted and rectified, and expects fuel efficiency to improve too.
Yokohama Rubber introduced its SensorTire Technology Vision in February 2021; the initiative is a medium- and long-term technological development framework for passenger car tire sensors. The manufacturer aims to support the safe movement of people while addressing changes in mobility demand through the provision of data from smart tires.
