Goodyear concepts rely on AI and V2X

GENEVA, Switzerland (March 7, 2017) — Goodyear's presence at this year's Geneva International Motor Show reflects the company's vision of the future, where artificial intelligence and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity will play increasingly important roles in mobility.

"The future of the automotive industry is being shaped by rapid advances in technology and changing consumer attitudes and behaviors," said Joe Zekoski, Goodyear's senior vice president and chief technical officer.

"The concepts and technology we are showcasing in Geneva are part of the revolution that we see unfolding at the intersection of autonomy, mobility and connectivity where tires and services will play a critical role in meeting our customers' performance and information needs."

As such, Goodyear's displays at the show are largely digital representations of systems and technologies that are still in early development or are more theoretical in nature.

Goodyear is featuring two technologies, of which the IntelliGrip Urban smart tire is closer to reality.

The IntelliGrip Urban concept, a tall, narrow tire with reduced rolling resistance for extending the range of electric vehicles, is designed for autonomous, on-demand transportation, with a focus on maximizing uptime and reducing operating costs for ride-sharing service providers, Goodyear said.

Among its key features are

• Fewer tread grooves to reduce noise levels;

• Sensor-in-tire technology to gather and share information about road and weather conditions with the vehicle control system to optimize speed, braking, handling and stability; and

• Active maintenance through telematics and tire health monitoring to allow fleet operators to identify and resolve tire-related issues safely before they happen.

The other concept, the Eagle 360 Urban, is an evolution of the spherical-shaped design concept Goodyear debuted at last year's Geneva show.

The spherical tire — which would rely on a magnetic levitation system to "connect" the tire and vehicle — could be integrated into into the vehicle's nervous system by giving the concept an artificial intelligence "brain" that would allow it to sense, decide, transform and interact.

Other key features include:

• V2X communications connectivity to gather and share real-time information about driving conditions from the tires, other vehicles, infrastructure, and traffic systems for a complete picture; and

• A bionic skin made of a "super-elastic polymer" with high-sensory capacity and the flexibility to adapt its tread pattern to driving conditions with the help of actuators beneath the surface.