Wireless Smart -Tires for Road Friction Measurement and Self State Determination

Abstract

Luna Innovations has begun development of a wireless, Bluetooth based Smart-Tire system for direct measurement of tire tread strain and other parameters, shown conceptually in Figure 1. Utilizing a prototype Smart-Tire implemented with fiber optic-based sensors, the measurement of skid onset in a tire has been successfully demonstrated in laboratory conditions by the authors, with the assistance of a major tire manufacturer. Theory predicts that the strain levels change considerably from the strain levels present during normal operation, when approaching a tire failure event 1 . This technology is capable of continuously and directly measuring the strain in the tread of each tire, as well as air pressure and temperature, and could provide a warning to the operator or maintenance personnel of low friction conditions or a change in the tire's state of health. The Smart-Tire technology is directly applicable to skid control through direct measurement of the available friction and it would allow a Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) system to evaluate the health of the tire on individual vehicles.