The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) announced a collaboration to test intelligent tyre sensors and prototype tires on SARTA’s fleet of diesel and zero emission hydrogen fuel cell-powered (HFC) buses.
The intelligent tyres leverage Goodyear’s TPMS Plus on-vehicle sensors to send real-time data on tire conditions to the Goodyear SightLine mobility cloud. Using customisable algorithms, the data is quickly analysed to deliver actionable insights on tire performance and potential vehicle issues so operators can seek proactive maintenance. The tests will help Goodyear evaluate the performance of TPMS Plus powered by Goodyear SightLine on HFC buses in daily public transit service, while also helping SARTA lower their operational costs, reduce fleet downtime and increase environmental benefits, Goodyear says.
Additionally, Goodyear is testing a prototype tyre on SARTA’s diesel and HFC buses to measure tread wear, rolling resistance and tire life. The data from these tests will help inform Goodyear’s future tire designs for electric vehicles, the company says.
Both tests are taking place on 10 SARTA vehicles in daily revenue service, including five diesel and five HFC buses. Preliminary tests already show the potential for TPMS Plus powered by Goodyear SightLine to help reduce roadside bus breakdowns and improve fuel efficiency, Goodyear says.
