New technology began changing the truck tire industry over a decade ago when the first tire sensors began to give truck drivers and fleet managers basic data on tire pressure. Later, they began giving out tire temperature data. Dealers of commercial truck tires nearby would know about all the latest developments.
Then came automated tire inflation systems which didn’t just monitor tire pressure, but could also actively inflate tires in case of leaks.
Technology Marches Forward
Today, there is a demand for systems to monitor tire air pressure, heat, trad performance and irregular tread wear, all in real time. There are sensors mounted in tires and there are wheel sensors as well as valve stem sensors.
The idea is to identify problems well before they become a catastrophic event, and hence, suppliers have developed a range of tire management solutions for the trucking industry which dealers of commercial truck tires nearby know about.
Smart Tires
Smart tires can be expected to play a role in driverless trucks. All major tire manufacturers are already working on smart tire technology. Smart-tire tech such as tire-mounted sensors and tire pressure monitoring systems will give autonomous-truck companies real-time insights on the performance of the tires on their trucks.
Commercial truck tire repairers nearby know that smart tire technologies increasingly collect data and monitor if weight is evenly distributed among the truck wheels and axles. Weight distribution plays a critical role in vehicle dynamics, controllability and maneuverability, and thus safety and vehicle performance.
Predictive Tire Maintenance
Predictive maintenance is also key, helping self-driving trucks to deliver on their promise of near 24/7 operations, and tire data makes that possible. Tire-mounted sensors help avoid a fault before it happens, especially with retread tires.
The data from the trucks will also help the tire makers to build more accurate predictive maintenance models and optimize future tires for these operations.
Data Feedback
For the autonomous-truck companies, feedback from connected tires can be fed into their machine-learning systems to improve fuel economy and overall performance, especially in severe weather and extreme road conditions.
Other technologies making their presence are self-sealing tires. Such tires incorporate a sealant within the tire structure, which automatically seals punctures or small cuts in the tread area. This reduces the risk of sudden deflation and allows the driver to continue driving to a safe location for repair.
