SRI joins tyre data association GDSO

Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. (SRI) reports that it joined the non-profit association GDSO (Global Data Service Organisation for Tyres and Automotive Components) in January 2023 and is now contributing towards industry-wide efforts to establish a means of and standard for identifying, managing and transferring data from individual tyres, a project initially focusing upon truck and bus tyres.

This data transfer takes place via a GDSO-built platform known as the Tire Information Service (TIS), which transfers tyre-related tyre by reading a Unique Item Identifier (UII) upon the tyre. In addition to participating in these and other efforts to establish industry standards, SRI will construct a database for the tyres it manufactures and sells that users can access using RFID technology.

RFID, short for Radio Frequency Identification, is a wireless communication technology that employs radio waves for individual identification instead of conventional barcodes or QR codes. Applied to tyres, RFID systems can identify and manage individual tyres and by doing so improve traceability, thereby significantly improving quality control and responses to customer claims while making it harder for counterfeiters to sell non-original tyres. Additional potential benefits of a RFID system include simplified warehouse inventory management and a simplified means of checking when tyres were manufactured, mounted on vehicles or serviced.

Going forwards, SRI aims to extensively analyse the tyre data gained through RFID and use what it learns to add value to the retreading, tyre maintenance and other services offered through its Solutions Business.

About GDSO

The GDSO was founded by Bridgestone, Continental, Goodyear, Michelin and Pirelli in January 2022 and since that date has also welcomed Giti Tire and now SRI as full members. Several regional and national organisations have associate membership, including the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation (ETRTO), the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association, Tire and Rubber Association of Canada, the US Tire and Rim Association (TRA) and the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (JATMA).