Safety is one of the biggest benefits of the Internet of Things, and Bridgestone's connected tyres a key example of how connecting something not traditionally connected to the Internet can really bring about improvements to the way we work.
NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido, a road maintenance company in Hokkaido, northern Japan, uses real-time information sent by the smart tyres from Bridgestone to improve road maintenance in real time.
The tyres can determine road conditions more accurately than drivers in patrol vehicles, particularly in winter where a layer of ice on the roads may be invisible to the naked eye. The information allows drivers to plan the day's activity more efficiently, for example unpacking the right tools right from the time they park the vehicle to remove accumulated ice or snow.
NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido showed an interest in the technology when Bridgestone discussed it at a conference, starting the ball rolling on a trial. "NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido was interested in the technology from the standpoint of road management, which led to the joint development," said a Bridgestone representative.
"NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido and Bridgestone have been working together toward the practical use of this technology since 2011. In July 2015, we entered into a licensing agreement with NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido."
In 2015, NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido began using Contact Area Information Sensing (CAIS) technology to manage winter road conditions. CAIS captures information about the portion of the tire that comes into contact with the road surface. Once the sensor has all the necessary inputs, it transmits the data wirelessly to an on-board system. The system, which is installed in the vehicle, transmits the data to the cloud in real-time and receives instant insights about road conditions for the driver from NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido.
CAIS classifies road conditions into seven different types: dry, semi-dry, wet, slush, fresh snow, compacted snow, and ice, enabling drivers to react accordingly. In the past, they would not have been able to distinguish so easily between seven conditions, nor been so accurate.
It is likely that CAIS will be offered as a solution to cars of all types outside of the NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido use case. "As the technology can also be used with normal wheels in addition to truck tyres, we intend to expand use to include general passenger cars," said the Bridgestone representative. "We have obtained basic patents on the wear estimation method in Japan, the US and European countries (Germany, the UK, France and Italy). Related patents have also been registered and are pending in other countries."
With connected cars, the solution could become even more intelligent, Bridgestone says. The cars could share information about road conditions with each other, further improving safety conditions on-the-road for drivers.
NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido, a road maintenance company in Hokkaido, northern Japan, uses real-time information sent by the smart tyres from Bridgestone to improve road maintenance in real time.
The tyres can determine road conditions more accurately than drivers in patrol vehicles, particularly in winter where a layer of ice on the roads may be invisible to the naked eye. The information allows drivers to plan the day's activity more efficiently, for example unpacking the right tools right from the time they park the vehicle to remove accumulated ice or snow.
NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido showed an interest in the technology when Bridgestone discussed it at a conference, starting the ball rolling on a trial. "NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido was interested in the technology from the standpoint of road management, which led to the joint development," said a Bridgestone representative.
"NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido and Bridgestone have been working together toward the practical use of this technology since 2011. In July 2015, we entered into a licensing agreement with NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido."
In 2015, NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido began using Contact Area Information Sensing (CAIS) technology to manage winter road conditions. CAIS captures information about the portion of the tire that comes into contact with the road surface. Once the sensor has all the necessary inputs, it transmits the data wirelessly to an on-board system. The system, which is installed in the vehicle, transmits the data to the cloud in real-time and receives instant insights about road conditions for the driver from NEXCO Engineering Hokkaido.
CAIS classifies road conditions into seven different types: dry, semi-dry, wet, slush, fresh snow, compacted snow, and ice, enabling drivers to react accordingly. In the past, they would not have been able to distinguish so easily between seven conditions, nor been so accurate.
"The driver receives a real-time livestream of the current road condition classification on screen, together with warnings of any change in the state of the road," said the Bridgestone representative.
According to Bridgestone, sensor installation was done quickly: the sensors together with wireless modules that allow them to communicate are attached to the inside of conventional tyres on-site, which are then assembled with rims. While the sensors and wireless modules do need to be charged, an in-built generator takes care of things.
According to Bridgestone, sensor installation was done quickly: the sensors together with wireless modules that allow them to communicate are attached to the inside of conventional tyres on-site, which are then assembled with rims. While the sensors and wireless modules do need to be charged, an in-built generator takes care of things.
With connected cars, the solution could become even more intelligent, Bridgestone says. The cars could share information about road conditions with each other, further improving safety conditions on-the-road for drivers.
posted from Bloggeroid
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