Pirelli has been working with car makers on a system that will enable information collected by a sensor in the tire to be used by the car’s onboard electronics, for example, for integration with ADAS functions. The Cyber Car system is due to enter the market by the end of 2018, in both electric and traditional models.
Cyber Car is the latest application of Pirelli’s Cyber Technologies platform, which was launched in 2002 with the aim of providing maximum integration between tires, cars and drivers. It follows on from the Cyber Fleet and Pirelli Connesso systems. Pirelli Connesso, which was launched in 2017 on the US market, is about to debut in certain European countries.
The tire is the sole point of contact with the road surface, so it’s able to collect a large quantity of information. All Pirelli’s Cyber systems are based on a sensor placed on the inside of the tire connected to the Pirelli Cloud. This sensor, which weighs just a few grams, monitors the operating status of every tire and transmits the data to an electronic control unit. The information is delivered to an app, in the case of Pirelli Connesso, or to the car’s onboard systems as well as an app, in the case of Cyber Car.
Tire data including pressure, internal temperature and tread depth are among the parameters that Cyber Car can transmit to the vehicle. The system can also intervene and activate systems such as ABS and stability control. For example, by reading a tire’s identity card, the vehicle can alter its setup to make the drive safer and more comfortable. Data recorded also includes vertical load, which Pirelli says is vital for electric cars. Knowing the car’s accurate weight, the central control unit can calculate remaining range more precisely.
Cyber Car also informs the driver, through the car maker’s interface, about the standard operating parameters of the tire, which allows timely intervention if the pressures are wrong, or if maintenance is required. The Cyber Car can also enable access to a suite of services that can be further personalized, such as car valeting, roadside assistance and servicing.
The first models fitted with Cyber Car will arrive in 2018; with a number of manufacturers already at an advanced stage of integrating the technology. The next evolution will be the Cyber Tyre system, based on a technical platform capable of collecting even more data, transmitting information to the car’s onboard systems with every rotation of each wheel. Even though this technology isn’t on sale yet, its initial application is already in action on the Ferrari FXXK track car.
