In The Near-Future, Tires Will Be “Intelligent,” Expert Says by Warren Holmes (NAPS)—Andreas Esser knows that more and more Americandrivers are concerned about the safety andreliability of their tires, with all the attention on the tire industry in recent months. But Mr. Esser and his colleagues at Continental Tire North America (CTNA) are addressing those con- cerns with new technology that would have been unimaginable even a few short yearsago. “Most people think of tires as nothing more than commodities that enable a vehicle to move,” says Mr. Esser, Vice President, Original Equipment Business Unit and Continental is now working to integrate the SWT into currently available technology developed by Product Development at CTNA, Continental-Teves, a leader in brake and chassis engineering: and communicators that give them ving conditions and makes corrections automatically. The company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. “In the very near future, they will think of tires as monitors, sensors critical, safety-related information.” Executives at his company, part of German-based Continental AG, are convinced thetire is one part of the car whose potential has been largely untapped. The Intelligent Tire According to Mr. Esser, with technology now available and innovations on the way, the tire of the near future will be “intelligent,” able to gauge its environ- ment, identify potential problems and then communicate with the driver. “Thetire of the future will be fully integrated into the chassis the Electronic Stability Program (ESP), which senses unstable dri- anticipates the SWT will be on the market in the U.S. within the next four years. Will the Flat Tire Bea Thingof the Past? An “intelligent tire” is also able to minimize the chances of tire failure. The most frequent cause of tire failure—and a contributor to many accidents—is the gradual loss of air that goes unnoticed by the driver. Two different systems from Continental detect slow leaks of this kind and let the dri- ver know aboutit. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) does this with system of the vehicle, working together with brakes, steering and pressure sensors, wireless data Continental engineers have already giventhetire a “voice,” an tion System (DDS), which is cur- other components,” he says. electromagnetic mode of communication that conveys important information about acceleration, breaking andsteering. This “talk- ing tire” is one component of the company’s Sidewall Torsion Sensor (SWT) system, which uses magnetized rubber and special sensors to monitor the forces transmitted by a moving tire. The SWT, which has already demonstrated its effectiveness in a proto- type car, promises to help drivers achieve better control, detect brake defects and otherbenefits. transmission and an electronic control unit. The Deflation Detecrently available in Europe, relies on sensors integrated into Conti- nental’s anti-lock brakes system. With an eye on the future, researchers at Continental are also exploring ways to makethe tire even smarter—including a sensor based on changesin the tread pattern, chemicals that allow thetire itself to adapt to driving conditions and other innovations. If you want more information about the latest in tire technology, check out the company’s Website (http://www. conti-online.com).
