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Sumitomo Refines its Smart Tire Technology

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earth-friendly eco-friendly

Smart tires are such a bright idea.
Photo: mattwalker69

As manufacturers release more innovative features on their vehicles, you have to wonder if tires missed out on the technology upgrade. While we have rain-sensing windshield wipers and headlights that automatically turn on when they sense a certain level of darkness, why can’t tires have this same quality of response?

The Japanese-based company Sumitomo recently unveiled its Smart Tire Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show, which pushes the boundaries of tire intelligence. The company is poised to mass produce the tire starting in 2020.

Sumitomo has a host of goal milestones to achieve as it seeks to fine-tune its smart tires. One of its ambitions is to forge a more durable tire that will also be eco-friendly at every stage, from its production to usage to being recycled.

driving in the rain

Photo: Wonderlane

The goal for 2023 will be a tire that showcases the brand’s “active tread” technology. This tire will provide optimum traction and performance no matter what road conditions it encounters.

At the base of Sumitomo’s Smart Tire Concept is something called sensing core technology, which uses a proprietary algorithm placed in the car’s braking system. This, in turn, gives the tires a sensing capacity to detect tire tread wear and pressure; it can also pick up road conditions. The data from this technology then informs the vehicle’s operations and enhances the stability.

The brand is also catering toward the self-driving vehicle trend. To this end, it is developing a type of tire tread that automatically detects and adjusts its settings to provide vehicle passengers with peak traction, especially over quickly-changing road conditions.

We anticipate more details as Sumitomo progresses toward its goal of taking tire technology to the next level. In the meantime, here are 50 ways to reuse old tires…

 

News Source: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Rubber & Plastics News