Pirelli and Bosch plan to jointly develop tires with built-in sensors that can transmit data directly to a vehicle’s on-board computers.
These software-enhanced tires will provide “improved safety, comfort and sustainability, as well as improved driving dynamics,” the two companies said. This will be made possible by leveraging tire data to help adjust software-controlled features for different road conditions, according to the companies.
Pirelli and Bosch to develop data-transmitting tires
Pirelli and Bosch have already demonstrated this concept with tires for the Pagani Utopia Roadster supercar, which uses a specially developed version of the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS with built-in sensors that connect to a Bosch-supplied stability control system, as well as the ABS and traction control systems, to better tame the 852 hp generated by the Utopia’s 6.0-liter twin-turbo V-12.
As cars become more fuel efficient, or ditch combustion engines altogether for electric motors, tire wear becomes a bigger part of their overall environmental impact. While Pirelli is looking at software to drive sustainabilitySome rival tire manufacturers are focusing on alternative materials.
In 2023, Continental discussed manufacturing tires of rice husks and plastic bottles to achieve its goal of making all of its tires from sustainable materials by 2050. Bridgestone already makes tires from rubber from a desert shrub called guayule which is native to the southwestern US. These tires have already been demonstrated in IndyCar races.
Airless tires are another possibility. Without the need to maintain air pressure, punctures and sidewall damage are no longer a problem, which means tires can last longer. They also create an additional safety margin by preventing the danger of blowouts.