RFID may be 'stop-gap' technology on road to smart tires

PORTOROZ, Slovenia—For all its capabilities, RFID might just be a bridge on the road to true smart-tire technologies, according to Andreas Puerschel, key development engineer of original equipment development at Hankook.

Speaking at a technology workshop during a recent Hankook press event in Slovenia, Puerschel noted that there is a lack of standardization in the area of tire sensors.

"We have QR codes, data-matrix codes, RFID, etc. (with) a mixture of functionalities," he commented. "For sure, not all will survive because they are not giving enough value for the costs involved."

Among current sensor technologies, the Hankook expert described RFID tags as the most advanced, particularly as the devices can store data and allow freedom to rewrite information.

"But RFID itself cannot work 'smart'," said Puerschel. "It can store data, it can save data, you can rewrite it, but it cannot work as a (smart) sensor."

RFID could be "a kind of bridge" until smart sensors arrive on the market, but Puerschel added, "why, then, also have an RFID (tag)? The customer will not pay extra money for it."

Puerschel believes smart tire sensors are "the only end-solution, and will become mandatory as we continue toward autonomous driving. From that perspective, RFID is a stop-gap solution."

He went on to contrast conventional tire technology with that of today's premium cars, which are equipped with hundreds of sensors.

"But the tire is just a tire. It is ignored, even though it is the only connection to the road," said Puerschel.

In future, he suggested, smart tires will be required to monitor driving situations and check what is really happening compared to what the car expects. For example, Puerschel said that if a car is overloaded, a smart device could tell drivers to inflate tires or identify a mismatch in loading affecting the balance of the vehicle.

"As soon as the ICU analyzes this data, it could also change the activity of the braking, steering or distance-control systems, for instance if the vehicle is heavier and so has a longer braking distance," he explained.

And, as most drivers do not have the skills to achieve minimum braking distances, future vehicles will have to know the make and type of tire to optimize set-up and system interactions.

This, said Puerschel, will enable drivers "to realize the next one or three meters (of braking distance) and squeeze out the maximum performance from the vehicle."