Goodyear introduces DrivePoint Heavy Duty for port AGVs

Major ports are busy places, and in order to improve preventative tyre maintenance and reduce downtime for the automated guided vehicles (AGV) used in the unloading of containers, Goodyear has extended DrivePoint to this segment. It calls this dedicated tyre monitoring system for autonomous port applications DrivePoint Heavy Duty.

Container ships have significantly grown in capacity over the last decade, and the latest generation of ships can carry more than 20,000 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) halfway across the globe. Port of Rotterdam, the largest in Europe, handled 8,436,240 incoming and outgoing containers or 436.8 million tonnes of goods last year. The exponential growth of goods arriving at European ports significantly impacts daily port operations including increasing unloading times, complex planning processes, requiring more digitalisation and automation.

Vehicle movements within ports are extremely time critical as any disruption can impact immediately on the supply chain. Goodyear says DrivePoint Heavy Duty is the first system to cater to the advanced AGV-segment.

“The easy to install DrivePoint has proved to be an immediate success for truck fleets wanting to increase uptime,” says Alberto Villarreal, managing director Proactive Solutions & Fleet Europe at Goodyear. “By tailoring this technology to the specific requirements of autonomous port operations, we believe DrivePoint Heavy Duty will be a game-changer for the AGV-segment. The port sector is at the forefront of vehicle autonomy and this innovative fully automated system is a perfect fit for operators and maintenance managers seeking to maximise uptime and efficiency, as well as preventive tyre maintenance.”

Pioneered at Hutchison Ports ECT Rotterdam

Goodyear piloted its new automated tyre monitoring system at Hutchison Ports ECT Rotterdam (ECT), one of the leading and most advanced container terminal operators in Europe. It installed multiple Goodyear DrivePoint Heavy Duty units at the ECT Euromax and ECT Delta terminals. Operational within one of the world’s largest AGV port operations, the fully automated tyre monitoring system is tasked with monitoring about 100 AGVs to ensure they continue operating under optimal conditions. Data provided by the new system facilitates the scheduling of vehicle servicing at the right moment and prolonging tyre service life.

“The Goodyear DrivePoint Heavy Duty system is an ideal complement to AGV operations as there’s no interruption of the automated process for tyre checking and it can support operations that run day and night,” comments Goodyear

How Goodyear DrivePoint Heavy Duty works

Every time a vehicle passes through, the port-based information receiver picks up readings from the system’s dedicated heavy duty on-valve tyre pressure sensors. The sensors are installed on the valves rather than inside the wheel and tyre unit, meaning that tyres don’t have to be demounted for installation.

The data is uploaded to the Goodyear cloud. This gives maintenance managers and operators instant access and reporting through the Goodyear Fleet Manager app. The system immediately highlights low pressure alerts, reducing the risk of unexpected downtime and enabling targeted servicing and preventive maintenance of AGVs.