A tyre may seem like a purely mechanical element, but modern cars already know a lot about what happens at the wheel level. Pressure, rotation speed, estimated temperature, loss of grip or abnormal behavior: on-board sensors are gradually transforming the tyre into a source of essential information for safety.
And this is just the beginning. As vehicles become more connected, data from tyres could play an even more important role in maintenance and driving.
1. Pressure: Information has become unavoidable
The best-known system is TPMS, for Tyre Pressure Monitoring System. Its purpose is to warn the driver when tyre pressure becomes insufficient.
Depending on the vehicle's architecture, monitoring can be direct using sensors placed at wheel level, or indirect by exploiting information provided by rotation speed sensors.
This information is essential: incorrect pressure can alter vehicle behavior, accelerate tyre wear and increase rolling resistance.
2. Temperature: a particularly revealing piece of data
Temperature directly influences tyre behavior. As it rolls, the tyre deforms continuously and generates heat. Heavy loads, insufficient pressure, high speeds, or certain driving conditions can exacerbate this heating.
Advanced monitoring systems can integrate or utilize thermal information to better understand tyre condition. This data is particularly valuable for high-performance vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, and future predictive maintenance solutions.
3. Your car already detects differences in rotation
ABS and ESP systems use sensors capable of very precisely measuring wheel rotation. This information makes it possible to detect wheel lock-up during braking or a difference in speed between the wheels.
They also serve to identify a loss of traction. When a wheel starts to slip, the electronics can intervene by adjusting the braking or engine power to stabilize the vehicle.
The tyre thus indirectly becomes a true indicator of what is happening between the car and the road.
4. Can tyre wear be measured directly?
Automatic wear measurement is one of the most interesting developments. Currently, the condition of the tread still needs to be checked visually or with a suitable tool in most situations.
But sensors and algorithms can gradually make it possible to estimate the evolution of wear based on mileage, dynamic behavior, vibrations and other parameters.
Eventually, the vehicle could warn the driver not only when a tyre is underinflated, but also when it approaches a level of wear requiring replacement.
5. Load also influences tyre behavior
A loaded vehicle does not stress its tyres in the same way as an empty vehicle. Mass influences tyre deformation, temperature, and the forces transmitted to the road.
By combining information from suspensions, stability systems and other sensors, modern vehicles can adapt certain operating parameters to their load.
Future generations of connected tyres could communicate this information more directly to the vehicle.
6. The tyre can help to understand the condition of the road
Variations in grip are already indirectly detected by electronic systems. When the wheels react differently during acceleration, braking, or cornering, the vehicle can identify a situation requiring intervention.
With more advanced sensors, it would become possible to obtain more information about contact with the road surface: level of grip, vibrations or sudden change in conditions.
This information could be particularly important for autonomous vehicles, which will need to understand the road without being able to rely on the sensations of a human driver.
7. When data becomes predictive
The next step is to no longer simply report a problem when it appears, but to anticipate it.
By analyzing changes in pressure, temperature, mileage and vehicle behavior, an intelligent system could identify a drift before it becomes critical.
The driver could then receive a specific recommendation: check a tyre, perform a rotation, check the geometry or consider a replacement.
8. Possible communication between the tyre, the car, and the workshop
In a connected automotive ecosystem, data will likely no longer be limited to the dashboard. With the driver's consent and in compliance with data protection regulations, certain technical information could be transmitted to an application or a professional.
The workshop could thus prepare an intervention before the arrival of the vehicle, while a professional fleet could monitor the condition of several vehicles and plan their maintenance.
Does your car really know everything about your tyres?
Not yet. Current systems already provide valuable information, but they do not replace physical tyre inspections. The condition of the sidewalls, deformation, cuts, or certain types of wear still require a proper inspection.
The trend is clear, however: each new generation of vehicle brings the tyre closer to the digital world.
Optimus Future Lab's vision
At the house of Optimus PneusWe believe that the connected tyre represents one of the major evolutions in mobility. The tyre will no longer just be monitored: it will gradually be able to contribute to understanding the road and anticipating maintenance needs.
Tomorrow, your car could know the condition of each tyre almost as precisely as it knows its battery or fuel level today.
Optimus Future Lab deciphers the technologies that are transforming the tyre, the automobile and the mobility of tomorrow.
To discover: check out our tyre catalog to compare the dimensions and part numbers available for your vehicle.
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