IBM to Patent Tread Monitoring Sensor

IBM has submitted a patent application for a sensor that can warn drivers when tyre tread becomes worn down to 3mm or less, the level at which tests conducted for the British Rubber Manufacturers Association indicate that a tyre’s road holding ability begins to be significantly affected.

Passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are moulded into the tyre tread, or positioned within the grooves. While the tags are still in place they reply to a trigger signal continually beamed from an antenna mounted beneath the car. But, as the tread wears some of the tags are shed and stop responding. So the car automatically “knows” when its tyres‘ tread is becoming dangerously thin.