Bridgestone Corporation has developed a technology that estimates axle load and tyre wear via a sensor affixed inside a tyre. This newly-developed sensor measures the change in strain that occurs when a moving tyre comes into contact with the road. Bridgestone claims its Smart Strain Sensor technology is unique and the “first of its kind in the world.”
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI), the company behind the Falken tyre brand, has developed a solution to remotely monitor the tyre pressure of unoccupied vehicles such as self-driving cars. In a step towards ensuring the safety of Level 4 and above autonomous vehicles, SRI has successfully linked its tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) with an Autonomous Driving Control Centre.
The ongoing effects of import tariffs, Brexit uncertainty and structural changes in the distribution chain have all affected the tyre business this year. As well as featuring the latest motorsport news and covering market developments in our regular features, this month’s Tyres & Accessories focuses on a number of key examples of changes in the marketplace in our Review of the Year feature. But one trend stands out above the others – virtualization. In short, increasing moves towards electric and autonomous vehicles (complete with their inherent sensorisation tendencies), coupled with changes in vehicle (and tyre) ownership models such as MaaS (Mobility as a Service) are driving changes in the tyre market that are resulting in the virtualizing of parts of the distribution chain.
A new report entitled UK Connected and Automated Mobility Roadmap to 2030, proposes that improved vehicle connectivity will result in road signs and signals being decommissioned as early as 2027. The report by Zenzic, an organisation “dedicated to accelerating the self-driving revolution in the UK by uniting industry, government and academia”, states that emerging CAM (connected and automated mobility) technologies will eliminate the need for road signage, with UK drivers seeing “naked highways” by 2027.
The UK government’s £300 million-odd funding for connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) projects is unlikely to establish the country as a leader in CAV technology. However, it is well positioned to become a global hub for CAV testing and regulatory development, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
The automotive industry is one of the key sectors of Europe’s economy and its largest manufacturing industry, providing over 12 million direct and indirect jobs and representing about 5.6 percent of the EU workforce. It is also a leading source of technology development, giving rise to innovations that benefit many other sectors.
Michelin has selected to use autonomous trucks made by Einride within its supply chain. According to the company, roll-out will commence in 2020, initially with the deployment of Einride’s T-pod – an autonomous, electric truck – at Michelin sites in France.
Highways England and Blackwell, the earthworks contractor, have completed work on a short trial involving an autonomous dump truck (ADT) on the A14. The month-long project, which ended on May 1, was paid for with £150,000 from the Government’s Road Investment Strategy (RIS) innovation designation fund and took place on a section of the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon.
A new report published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) and Frost & Sullivan has found that the UK could be set for a £62bn windfall from connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) by 2030.
The report, Connected and Autonomous Vehicles: Winning the Global Race to Market, has found that the UK is in pole position in the global race to market for CAVs.
A German research network incorporating research institutions, universities, IT companies and companies from the automotive industry, has developed a near-series fusion platform with open interfaces (Open Fusion Platform, abbreviated to OFP). It enables vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers to cost-effectively integrate highly and fully automated driver assistance functions for the purposes of automated driving. The […]
A range of new vehicle safety features, to be fitted as standard on all new cars, vans, lorries and buses sold in Europe from 2022, has moved a step closer after a provisional EU deal was reached in Strasbourg. The new rules include requirements for new technologies, such as Automated Emergency Braking (AEB) and over-ridable Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), to be fitted as standard for the first time.
Hella, the global automotive supplier, considers itself well positioned to continue its profitable growth path in the long term, the foundation for which is the consistent positioning of the company along the central automotive market trends of autonomous driving, efficiency and electrification, connectivity and digitalisation, as well as individualisation. At this year’s Capital Markets Day, Hella gave investors and analysts a more detailed overview of its strategic orientation in the field of electromobility.
The international automotive industry stands on the cusp of potentially the largest transformation since the dawn of mass production. This will be driven by several concurrent influences, notably electrification and connected and automated vehicle technologies – but perhaps the most profound changes will be in the manner of vehicle use.
