Aston Martin Just Scored A Wheely Big Tech Win With Cyber Tires That America Might Ban

The british luxury brand’s cars will soon wear Pirelli’s Cyber Tires, which transmit data to an onboard ECU

                                        https://www.carscoops.com/author/chris-chilton-cc/                                    

by Chris Chilton

1 hour ago

The humble car tire, that boring but crucial hoop of black rubber that keeps you on the road, is undergoing a major update, and Aston Martin will be among the first automakers to make use of the new boots.

More: US Threatens Action Over Pirelli Tech Hidden In Your Car’s Tires

Aston says it will soon equip its new sports cars with Pirelli’s Cyber Tire technology. While the tires themselves might look as dull as ever, they’re much smarter than the rest. Existing tires quietly get on with the job of dealing with different grip situations, leaving our fingers and internal yaw sensors to interpret what’s happening. But Cyber Tires can actually process data about what’s going on at the contact patch and transmit that information back to the car.

Talking To The Tarmac

Co-developed with Bosch, the Cyber Tire tech uses a sensor mounted on the inner portion of the tread that is linked via Bluetooth to a vehicle’s onboard electronic systems. By measuring the changes in radius that come from different levels of compression and relating that to factors like vehicle speed, tire type and pressure, temperature, and wear level, a car’s brain can build a detailed picture of tire behavior. This creates insight into what’s happening at the asphalt level in a way that was never possible before.

It can understand if you’re about to aquaplane or that you’ve just left a paved road, and automatically adjust the car’s chassis, powertrain and safety systems to suit, helping improve performance and reducing the risk of of accidents.

From Showpiece To Showrooms

Pirelli first showed the technology in 2021, and it’s already fitted to the low volume Pagani Utopia, but Aston Martin’s announcement represents its first major expansion into more volume markets. Expect other automakers to jump on the tech soon, and other tire companies, too.

American drivers and automakers might have to temper their enthusiasm for the tire technology, however. Earlier this year we reported how US laws prohibiting the “sale and import of connected vehicle hardware and software systems” could prevent Pirelli, which is 37 percent owned by China’s Sinochem, from offering them in America.

That connection has already raised additional scrutiny from regulators, and could delay or even block access to the tech in one of the world’s largest markets.