Pirelli’s Cyber Tire Leverages 5G for Safety
The idea of using technology to inform drivers about road conditions has been around for some time. Many major vehicle manufacturers have already designed lane assist and anti-slip systems within their vehicles. Tire manufacturer Pirelli is going on step further. By incorporating 5G technology in their tires, the company hopes to help drivers have more control over their vehicle’s grip on the asphalt.
The Vehicle-to-Infrastructure System
The system utilizes a vehicle-to-infrastructure interface that uses 5G to communicate with other vehicles in the area to warn them of adverse conditions. Pirelli, together with KTH, Italdesign, Tim, Audi, and Ericsson, finalized proof of concept of the technology recently in Turin, Italy. Sensors embedded in Pirelli’s tires forwarded information about conditions on the road to other vehicles, allowing them to adapt dynamically to changing road states. The system has also been designed to communicate potential areas of low grip.
Pirelli has grand design s for its Cyber Tire. The company states that not only will those tires transfer the condition of the road it’s driving on, but they will be aware of their own health. The car will be apprised of the current state of the tire, as well as the miles that are driven, the model of tire installed, and dynamic load information. Pirelli’s test is only the latest in a series of vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure tests that have shown promise for incorporating 5G technology in vehicles.
A Potential Ally to Road Safety
Conditions such as floods, ice, and snow are constant hazards to drivers, and having vehicles that can adjust for those conditions dynamically may allow for safer driving. The test saw a car driven over a solid sheet of standing water, resulting in hydroplaning over a short distance. The following vehicle was able to adapt to these conditions and avoid a similar fate thanks to data generated from the first test car.
