Dealer Tire among investors in tire-sensor startup

DURHAM, N.C. — Dealer Tire L.L.C. is one of the several investors in tire sensor and data management company Tyrata Inc., which has closed a $4.5 million in series A financing.

Tyrata said it has an exclusive license with Duke University to develop sensor technology that monitors tire treadwear in real time, warning drivers and fleet management operators when the tread has worn beyond a safe operating depth.

The company said the funding will be used to develop the sensor technology into a product and prepare for large-scale manufacturing. Neither Tyrata nor Dealer Tire disclosed how much the Cleveland, Ohio-based tire distributor invested.

According to Tyrata, the tire-wear sensor can be linked to data analytics systems to improve safety in consumer vehicles, reduce maintenance costs in large fleet management operations and provide data for autonomous vehicles.

Dealer Tire and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said research shows that 13 to 15 percent of vehicles in the U.S are driving on tires with less than 4/32nd inch of tread depth. NHTSA reports that vehicles with worn tires are three times more likely to be involved in a crash than vehicles with sufficient tread depth.

Tyrata, in collaboration with Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering and Nicholas School of the Environment, said it has developed sensor technology using carbon nanotubes (tiny cylinders of carbon atoms one-billionth of a meter in diameter) that can track millimeter-scale changes in tread depth with 99-percent accuracy.

The sensors signal when it's time to replace tires or reveal uneven tire wear conditions.

Scott Mueller, partner and CEO of Dealer Tire, said his firm sees potential in the technology "to improve consumer safety as it relates to tires.

"The investment in Tyrata is consistent with our strategy to enhance tire safety and provide exceptional, value-added services to our stakeholders and for the benefit of the overall industry."

Tyrata CEO Jesko von Windheim said Dealer Tire can help make an impact across all major tire manufacturers.

"Our technology is a great fit with Dealer Tire's commitment to tire safety across the industry," Mr. von Windheim said, "and we are absolutely delighted to have Dealer Tire as our lead investor. Their investment allows Tyrata to hire a world-class management and engineering team to address a very large, unmet need for tread wear monitoring in the transportation industry."