Pirelli Launches New Range of Smart Tires

Pirelli used the Geneva Motor Show as the platform to launch its new range of smart tires known as Connesso. The smart tires will have a sensor in their internal wall that will send vital details about their vehicle to the smartphones of motorists.

The new range of “smart” tires including the 19-inch and larger P Zero and Winter Sottozero tires will first be launched in the United States. This will be followed by the range of these tires in key markets like Europe and the Far East.

Through the Connesso range, drivers will get information regarding the maintenance and use of the tires, as well as info about their current status like the amount of wear, vertical load, the tire’s temperature and pressure, and the number of miles covered by each tire. The sensor that is integrated into the tires is connected to the company’s Pirelli Cloud product, and the smartphone app is used to deliver the data is to the driver. Each tire will have a unique identification code and thus the company will be able to keep tabs on a tire throughout its life cycle from the time it is manufactured to the time it is recycled after its life comes to an end.

As in the case of many smart systems, the app will also have the capability to ensure that motorists are proactive when it comes to tire care, through delivery of relevant alerts. For instance, if tire pressure is low, the motorist gets an alert through the phone as is the case when a tire is close to wearing out. He can then use the app to find the nearest tire dealer and book an appointment for tire servicing.

According to Pirelli, future versions of the Connesso range will be able to estimate the remaining tire life and will have the ability to act as a remote tire pressure gauge when the tires are being inflated. The app might also be refined to the point where customers can learn about motorsport events in the area and post and read reviews of tire dealers in the neighborhood.