Continental in-tyre sensors read tread depth

The close cooperation between electronics and tyres developers at Continental, the international automotive supplier, continues to bear fruit. Future tyres pressure sensors, for instance, will be able to detect when a tire change is necessary due to insufficient tread depth.

Explaining the importance of regular tread depth monitoring, Andreas Wolf, head of the Body & Security business unit, points out: “It’s not for nothing that legislators all over the world have defined a minimum tyre tread depth for safe driving. We are delighted that we will, in future, be able to conveniently read tread depth electronically with the aid of sensors embedded in the tyres.”

Intelligent software makes the new feature possible. The software deduces tread depth from gradual changes in tire rolling characteristics. The in-tyre pressure sensor infers running characteristics from the variations in tyre deformation. The new feature is tentatively slated to be available as of 2017 in new vehicle models equipped with direct tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) from Continental (electronic Tire Information System, eTIS).