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Your Tires Are Calling

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Goodyear Tire Optix helps fleets quickly and accurately detect critical tire data. Photo Goodyear

Advances in tire monitoring technologies are allowing truck fleet operators to keep a close eye on one of their most important assets.

So much has changed since the days when fleets would track their tire needs with a large spreadsheet and a sharp pencil. Today, trucks fleets have access to advanced technologies and real time data, both of which offer insights into the health of their tires.

Tire companies are spearheading the effort with innovations for long-haul, middle-mile and last-mile fleets, helping fleet professionals track tire performance, warn of possible dangers, and forecast future needs.

Sensors & software

For example, Continental Tire offers the ContiConnect digital tire management platform, which provides tire monitoring services, including continuous tire pressure and temperature measurements. With state-of-the-art tire sensors and software, it enables fleet professionals to digitally capture and monitor the mileage, tread depth, and condition of all the tires in their fleet.

Continental offers two flavours of this technology: ContiConnect Live provides tire data monitoring of multiple vehicles in real time, regardless of their location, while ContiConnect Yard is designed to monitor tire data for vehicles that return to dedicated checkpoints on a regular basis.

Suite of solutions

Bridgestone has developed Bridgestone Fleet Care, a customizable suite of solutions that connect products, services, technology, and data to simplify fleet management.

With Bridgestone’s digital tire monitoring services, fleets can track a tire’s health through sensors via a real time or yard-based setup. The data acquired from these tools is transmitted to a cloud-based application that drivers and businesses can access from their mobile devices.

Bridgestone Fleet Care is a customizable suite of solutions. Photo Bridgestone

Predictive tire maintenance

Goodyear’s portfolio of tire management tools allows fleet owners to actively monitor tire pressure and tire health in real time. Goodyear’s suite of tools ranges from tire inspection and monitoring devices, interactive reporting, and the ability to request services.

For example, Goodyear TPMS Plus evaluates tire conditions in real time using Goodyear’s unique, fleet-specific algorithms. It helps fleets identify critical issues, such as tire air leaks and high temperatures, while also providing predictive tire maintenance analytics to help reduce tire-related roadside breakdowns.

Goodyear CheckPoint provides automated inspections of tire pressure and tread depth. Positioned at a fleet yard entrance, this above-ground or in-ground device scans passing trucks and triggers alerts to fleet maintenance if there are any immediate tire concerns that require attention. This solution enables large numbers of vehicles to be inspected efficiently, and offers a frequently updated snapshot of tire health.

Finally, Goodyear Tire Optix helps fleets quickly and accurately detect critical tire data, such as tire pressure, tread depth and tire wear conditions. With real time alerts and detailed inspection results, it helps fleets optimize their long-term tire performance.

Calculating ROI

Before jumping on board with some of these solutions, it’s wise to count the costs and consider the benefits. According to Continental, these digital solutions allow fleets to achieve better fuel efficiency, longer tire life, and a reduction in emergency roadside calls, which can lead to cost savings in the long run. While the initial investment depends on the size and needs of each fleet, Continental offers packages that allow fleets to defer upfront capital investments.

According to Goodyear, today’s leading tire management tools and technologies are designed to be customized to each individual fleet and, as such, are designed to be incorporated into a fleet’s existing processes and procedures.

“Typically, there is some time, and monetary needs to set up and properly install tire management tools and technologies,” explains Johnny McIntosh, Senior Director of Commercial Services, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. “Your fleet size, your objectives and timeline will determine how much and when up-front costs can be expected. If managed properly any up-front investment should pay benefits in the backend in the form of reduced costs, improved uptime and more efficient spend for your vehicles and tires.”

Bridgestone’s team has made convenience a top priority for their customers. “Our products are highly adaptable, and we have ensured they are accessible to all fleets, regardless of location,” says Brian Cunningham, Vice President, Fleet Solutions, Bridgestone Mobility Solutions. “Fleets that implement our digital solutions have increased uptime and tire lifespan, lowering the total cost of ownership of all products and solutions.”

Because of the mobile nature of Bridgestone’s solutions, their customers have been able to get up and running with these technologies rather quickly. “However, regardless of what technologies fleets choose to add to their operations, the nationwide Bridgestone Commercial Dealer Network will help businesses with installation and educate them on how to maximize each tool,” Cunningham adds.

Future of tire monitoring

According to Continental Tire, regulations to reduce CO2 emission levels and the need for more fuel-efficient tires will continue to drive demand for innovation and solutions, both from vehicle manufacturers and major fleets. Continental is committed to providing their customers with the option of “intelligent” tires with built-in sensors to monitor tire pressure and temperature.

Currently, Huayi Tire offers complimentary tread wear and air pressure gauges to fleets, and the company conducts field visits, during which time they discuss potential technical issues with fleet managers. The future of tire monitoring, according to David Du, VP of Engineering, Technical Support and Sales Support at Huayi Tire Canada is likely to be much more exciting. “Injecting artificial intelligence (AI) into the industry will allow for new types of analytics,” Du says. “That’s something we foresee for the near future.”

Al Eagleson, Segment Manager, Commercial Tires at Sailun Tire Americas notes that tire pressure monitoring systems for commercial trucks could become government mandated/regulated in the near future. “The issue with these systems,” he warns, “is that they can create a false sense of security for the fleet. These systems offer potential early warning of tire failures, but there still needs to be an effective tire maintenance program in place at the fleet. This is not the solution for poor fleet tire maintenance.”

Finally, companies like Bridgestone plan to turn today’s know-how into a better tomorrow. “The data acquired from our digital tools, as well as customer feedback, will only enable our company to produce better products that better serve our customers,” Cunningham says. “Insights into how our products perform in real-world elements being gathered now, will help guide our company for years to come.”

 

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