Goodyear presented its vision for tires to support early generation autonomous vehicles at the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show. The Goodyear IntelliGrip concept tire, with its advanced sensor technology, is designed to support autonomous vehicle control systems. As autonomous vehicles rely on data from other vehicles, drivers, pedestrians and smart cities, tires such as the Goodyear IntelliGrip concept could play a critical role in the exchange of information.

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, tires will play an even more important role as the primary link to the road,” said Joseph Zekoski, Goodyear’s senior vice president and chief technical officer. “Goodyear’s concept tires 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 tire 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 tire-pressure monitoring system sensor technology, to assess the state of the tire and the vehicle. Goodyear developed special algorithms to account for such variables as inflation pressure and tire temperature to give a better estimation of the state of the tire and as a result, optimize the autonomous control system of the vehicle.
In addition to sensing the road and tire conditions, the tire also communicates with the vehicle’s central computer system, which should contribute to delivering improved driving performance and safety. When the tire senses a rainy or slippery road surface, the autonomous vehicle will adapt its speed. Additionally, it should shorten the stopping distance, provide a better cornering response, optimize stability and even support collision prevention systems.
Goodyear 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 was developed with Huf, a leading manufacturer of mechanical and electrical locking systems, tire pressure monitoring systems and telematic systems for the automotive industry worldwide.