Brembo has acquired a stake in Spoke Safety, a U.S. startup specializing in technology that communicates between “vehicles and the road ecosystem”. No details of the size of the stake or the amount invested have been released.
At the end of April Bosch launched the latest version of its online diagnostic software. Bosch Esitronic 2.0 is designed to support workshop staff with repair and maintenance tasks. To this end it provides diagnostic data, troubleshooting instructions, maintenance schedules as well as removal and installation instructions for individual components.
Tyres already play a key role in effective vehicle braking, but a marriage of tyres and technology can enhance this. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and Dutch research organisation TNO are working towards this end and are collaborating on a demonstration vehicle that will test the implications of connected tyres talking to the vehicle’s control system, specifically the anti-lock brake system (ABS).
Pirelli claims a world first with its original equipment tyre supply to the new McLaren Artura hybrid supercar. The Italian firm isn’t shipping any old bespoke P Zero tyres, rather tyres that will ‘talk’ to the Artura via Pirelli’s Cyber Tyre system. Each of the 235/35Z R19 front and 295/35 R20 rear tyres contain a sensor that loquaciously provides vital data to the car’s onboard computer.
A new report entitled UK Connected and Automated Mobility Roadmap to 2030, proposes that improved vehicle connectivity will result in road signs and signals being decommissioned as early as 2027. The report by Zenzic, an organisation “dedicated to accelerating the self-driving revolution in the UK by uniting industry, government and academia”, states that emerging CAM (connected and automated mobility) technologies will eliminate the need for road signage, with UK drivers seeing “naked highways” by 2027.
Wejo, a leading UK technology company which collates data from connected vehicles, has announced that its technology is now tracking seven million vehicles in 190 countries worldwide and it has acquired a Silicon Valley based technology firm as part of its expansion plans.
The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association has joined a broad industry coalition of independent aftermarket service providers, drivers, insurers to call on the EU to ensure a genuine digital level playing field for remote access to in-vehicle data.
When it brings a new, special version of its Pilot Sport Cup 2 to market this month, Michelin will become the first manufacturer to sell a connected tyre solution for private cars. The Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect is a tyre aimed at amateur drivers who take part in track days and other circuit events. When paired with the newly-launched Michelin Track Connect solution, it can provide a wealth of real time tyre information.
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has announced that it will be hosting seven industry briefing sessions throughout the UK in 2017 to provide all members with access to the latest aftermarket updates and keep them up to date on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry.
With nearly 112 million vehicles now connected around the world, the global market for automotive cybersecurity is expected to grow exponentially – to $759 million in 2023, according to a new report, ‘Automotive Cybersecurity and Connected Car’, from IHS Automotive, part of business information provider IHS Markit. Connected cars are defined as those that have a connection to the internet, through telematics, an on-board modem or a paired device in the vehicle, such as a mobile phone or other device.
A new industry report from global growth strategy consulting company Ipsos Business Consulting presents its vision for how so-called “Connected Cars” will “revolutionise the automotive experience”. The report is optimistic in its vision of the future, suggesting that car ownership worries, such as high costs and significant commuting times, could be exchanged for safer, less stressful travel. According to Ipsos, the automotive industry is in the early stages of radical transformation that will see the connected car “become the most advanced computing device that we own.”
Prior to the start of the IAA show, which is currently taking place in Frankfurt, Continental’s Dr Elmar Degenhart announced the introduction of new tyre-based technology. The Executive Board chairman stated: “In future we’ll build sensors into tyres that are capable of immediately sensing the texture of a road surface. In this way we will turn the tyre into an important component in our in-car sensor network.”
Just a generation ago the humble motor vehicle doubled as a ‘fortress of solitude’, a place the long arm of everyday responsibility couldn’t reach and a haven for those seeking a few moments’ headspace at the start or the end of a busy day. But unreachability is an increasingly scarce commodity these days. The introduction of hands-free systems has transformed the fortress into an office on four wheels for many, and now technology lurking just around the corner will bring our home-life cares to us on the road as well.
Research commissioned by the SMMT has found that the development of connected and autonomous vehicles will help generate 320,000 jobs in the UK. Researchers from KPMG found that these new vehicles will deliver a £51 billion boost to the UK economy and reduce serious road traffic accidents by more than 25,000 a year by 2030. It also forecasts the UK will be a global leader in the production of this next generation of vehicles.
If you would like the latest news from the Chinese tyre industry in Chinese, visit our partner site TyrepressChina.com. Or click below to continue on Tyrepress.
Bosch