MILAN, Italy (Dec. 4) — Pirelli Tyre S.p.A. has licensed the use of a patented method for monitoring a tire footprint in motion, a move the patent holder said will enable Pirelli to speed up development of its "cyber tire" vehicle behavior concept.
Pirelli is licensing the technology from Fioravanti S.r.l., a Turin-based design studio headed by a former designer for the Pininfarina automotive design house.
The cyber tire monitors a tire's operating condition using built-in sensors that transmit information via an aerial positioned inside the tire to the vehicle's onboard computer, according to Pirelli. The system can then provide the driver with real-time data regarding the operation status of the tires.
All the identifying information relating to the tire, from its manufacture to its performance in diverse conditions — including deflated use in the case of run-flat products — are recorded and transmitted to the vehicle, Fioravanti said.
The Fioravanti process contributes to the development of the cyber system by way of miniaturized electronic sensors using wireless transmission technology, according to the Turin company, which added this feature is vital to the increased performance and safety of future interactive vehicle control systems.