AKRON—Goodyear is taking its intelligent tire pilot initiatives overseas.
The Akron-based tire maker is partnering with Redspher, a transport and logistics group operating in 19 countries throughout Europe. Through the program, Goodyear will supply its intelligent tires, equipped with embedded sensors, through Redspher to a variety of fleets connected to Redspher's services platform called Rubiwin, according to a news release.
Goodyear initially will provide the tires to delivery and service vans to capture data about the high mileage vehicles, the release said.
"Because some of these vans travel approximately 450 miles per day, this exercise provides feedback in demanding conditions, where high mileage and time-critical deliveries are essential," Erin Spring, Goodyear director of new ventures, said in the release.
The smart tires will monitor wear rate and pressure to help enhance overall fleet operations and keep vehicles operating without interruption, Goodyear said.
"The importance of efficient fleet management is vital for Rubiwin members and us," Redspher CEO Philippe Higelin said in a statement. "The ability to use tire information to enhance safety and performance is a win for all, especially in the on-demand delivery business where time is often critical."
Goodyear recently launched several programs and has partnered with other companies to see how its tire technology can benefit fleets.
In May, Goodyear teamed with Borrow, a California short-term electric car subscription company, to help maintain its fleet of vehicles. And in March, the Akron tire maker partnered with Envoy Technologies, a California electric car-sharing service that will use Goodyear's predictive tire-servicing program to forecast and schedule fleet maintenance.