Pirelli’s talking tire tech is evolving. Indeed, the technology it’s been developing with Bosch is getting a fancier ‘intelligent tire technology’ label and deeper integration for improved performance.
The ‘Cyber tire’ already clads the 21-inch and 22-inch rims of the Pagani Utopia Roadster, featuring a Bosch MEMS sensor stuck to the inner wall. It’s a teeny weeny device powerful enough to measure pressure, temperature, and acceleration.
The data is collected, collated, and analyzed in real-time, then sent back to the car’s electronic system. The new advancement means the tire essentially informs the system so the car’s dynamic setup can be adjusted accordingly. In the case of the Utopia, the data will inform the electronic stability program (ESP) directly.
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In the future, though, features like anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and traction control (TCS) are primed to react and consequently better performance.
These tires launched in 2021 on the McLaren Artura. At that point, the sensors told the driver if the tire temperature had hit ‘optimal,’ or if the rubber needed to be cooled.
With what Pirelli calls ‘a hand on the road,’ the tiremaker and Bosch say the technology will not only improve performance, but also be much safer—encouraging drivers to slow down when the tires sense that road conditions have changed. Plus, when we’re living in a world with robot-driven, no-human cars (thusly, no driver to physically see water fall from the sky), tires whispering the change in weather will probably be welcomed.
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
