Bad tires cause some 11,000 accidents per year. 

And while some vehicles have tire monitoring options, they typically focus on tire pressure. Wear and tear of tire treads still needs to be checked physically. 

Luckily, here are two startups solving the issue in unique ways: 

• Revvo (USA based startup) has developed a device (US20210181063A1) which includes multiple sensors, such as a microphone, a temperature sensor, and accelerometer. Revvo’s AI platform gathers this data and makes precise predictions that boosts vehicle uptime, increases efficiency, and enhances safety.

Image of tire and Revvo’s sensor device placement

• Tyrata has developed an assembly of magnetic sensors (WO2021168393A1) which are placed in the tread grooves. This sensor uses ‘Infrared Radiations’ to determine the change in depth of tread grooves and hence calculate the wear.

Tyrata is also working to develop a platform to predict the tread wear in advance by taking present and past tire data into account. Like your car’s own “fortune-tire-ller”

And the big league tire makers aren’t behind either – 

• Goodyear Tires (USA) has been working on magnetic tread wear sensors (US20220397486A1). A sacrificial magnet is placed in a tire tread so that it undergoes wear along with the tread and generates a magnetic field signal which indicates remaining tread thickness. This tread wear data is combined with tire pressure monitoring data and displayed in the car. 
• Bridgestone tires (USA) is taking help of the pressure monitoring system to monitor tire tread (WO2022191875A1.) Tread depth of the tire is estimated based on its thermal mass, which is calculated by operational data and tire conditions.

You can find more innovations in the tyre industry here- https://www.greyb.com/blog/innovative-wheel-startups/ 

Tyrata and Goodyear, both exploring magnetic sensors, show potential in the technology for a successful tread wear monitoring system.