Yokohama Rubber partners in tyre & road surface sensing tests

Three Japanese firms are jointly conducting pilot testing that involves joining data gained from an internet-capable tyre with a road surface sensing system to map data. The trio – tyre maker The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.; map and navigation technology specialist Zenrin Co., Ltd.; and technology company Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. – have now also begun studying ways to monetise this technology.

Pilot testing involves conducting road-surface sensing with a test vehicle equipped with a tyre sensor jointly-developed by Yokohama Rubber and Alps Alpine. Data from this sensor will connect with Zenrin’s map data. The partners are looking to quicken the process of analysing and accumulating road surface data and of developing a useable, value-added system.

Yokohama Rubber and Alps Alpine began their joint research and development in 2019, bringing tyres together with the CASE and IoT megatrends. Yokohama’s remit under the current three-way development programme is to develop technology for detecting tread wear and road surface conditions, develop and manufacture sensor-equipped tyres, and to find ways of adding value to the resulting IoT tyre.