Pirelli and Bosch are working together to develop a tire with integrated sensors that can transmit data directly to vehicle on-board computers.
These software-enhanced tires will offer “greater safety, comfort and sustainability, as well as improved driving dynamics”, say the two companies.
This marks another milestone in tire manufacturers' ongoing research and quest to improve their products. It's often overlooked, but the advances made over the last 25 years have been nothing short of extraordinary.
The two companies believe the road to improved tires goes through making full use of the data provided by the tires, which will enable the functions controlled by the software to be fine-tuned according to road conditions.
Pirelli and Bosch have already demonstrated this concept with the tires of the Pagani Utopia supercar, which uses a specially developed version of the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS. That tire latter features integrated sensors that connect to a stability control system supplied by Bosch, as well as ABS and traction control systems, to better control the 852 hp generated by the Utopia's 6.0L twin-turbo V12.
And that's what it's all about these days: managing the power of the models (gasoline, but also electric because of the instant torque) via the tires.
And as vehicles become more fuel-efficient or fully electric, tire wear becomes a bigger part of their overall environmental impact. While Pirelli is turning to software to enhance durability, other tire manufacturers are focusing on the use of new materials.
In 2023, for example, as reported by Motor Authority, Continental discussed making tires from rice husks and plastic bottles in order to achieve the goal of making all its tires from sustainable materials by 2050. Bridgestone already manufactures tires with rubber from a desert shrub called guayule, native to the southwestern United States.
We’ve also reported in the past on airless tires, and they too will become a reality. Without air pressure, punctures, blowouts and sidewall damage would no longer be a problem, so tires could last longer.
