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Goodyear has presented its vision for tyres to support early generation autonomous vehicles at the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show.
The Goodyear IntelliGrip concept tyre, with its advanced sensor technology, is designed to support autonomous vehicle control systems, a statement issued in Geneva and obtained by AUTO REPORT AFRICA said.
As autonomous vehicles rely on data from other vehicles, drivers, pedestrians and smart cities, tyres such as the Goodyear IntelliGrip concept could play a critical role in the exchange of information, the statement added.
According to a study from the World Economic Forum, cities expect autonomous vehicles to become a reality in the next 10 years. In addition, the J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Tech Choice Study concludes that consumers deem collision protection technology most important in the wake of the changing automotive industry.
“By steadily reducing the driver interaction and intervention in self-driving vehicles, tyres will play an even more important role as the primary link to the road,” Goodyear’s senior vice president and chief technical officer, Joseph Zekoski, said in the statement.
According to him, “Goodyear’s concept tyres play a dual role in the future both as creative platforms to push the boundaries of conventional thinking and as testbeds for next-generation technologies.”
Thanks to its advanced sensor technology and specially designed tread, the Goodyear IntelliGrip concept tyre can sense many road conditions, including both surface and weather conditions. The IntelliGrip also uses advanced active wear technology, based on Goodyear’s active wear and tyre-pressure monitoring system sensor technology, to assess the state of the tyre and the vehicle. Goodyear developed special algorithms to account for such variables as inflation pressure and tyre temperature to give a better estimation of the state of the tyre and as a result, optimize the autonomous control system of the vehicle.
In addition to sensing the road and tyre conditions, the tyre also communicates with the vehicle’s central computer system, which should contribute to delivering improved driving performance and safety. When the tyre senses a rainy or slippery road surface, the autonomous cornering response, optimize stability and even support collision prevention systems.
Goodyear said it is working with a number of car manufacturers to further adapt this technology to their needs, enhancing connectivity with features such as Electronic Stability Control Systems, Brake Control Systems and Suspension Control Systems.
The IntelliGrip’s microchip, according to the statement, was developed with Huf, a leading manufacturer of mechanical and electrical locking systems, tyre pressure monitoring systems and telematic systems for the automotive industry worldwide.
