TURIN, Italy — Pirelli & C. S.p.A. is claiming a world-first with the development of intelligent tires capable of detecting and transmitting information about road surface conditions via the emerging 5G high-speed low latency communications network.
The 5G-enhanced ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) service was unveiled Nov. 14 during a "5G Path of Vehicle-to-Everything Communication" event in Turin organized by 5GAA — Automotive Association.
Pirelli's Cyber Tyre is designed to supply the car with data relative to the tire model, including mileage clocked and dynamic load as well as information on potential dangers on road surfaces, Pirelli said.
In a staged demo in Turin, a vehicle equipped with the sensor-equipped tire detected a risk of aquaplaning and transmitted the information via the 5G network to a following car. Having such information available will enable the car to adapt its control and driving assistance systems, Pirelli said, thereby improving the level of safety, comfort and performance.
In addition, such sensor-equipped tires tied into a 5G network will be able to provide the same information to other cars and the infrastructure, Pirelli said. Thanks to the potential of 5G, Pirelli added. this type of communication could be expanded inside a wider communication context, one that involves the ecosystem of on-road transportation and contributes to the development of solutions and services for mobility and systems of autonomous driving.
The Turin presentation, involving the use of 5G's ultra-high band and low latency was staged in collaboration with Ericsson Group, Audi A.G., Qualcomm Technologies Inc., Tim Cellular, Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A. and KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
Pirelli also presented "Italia Track Adrenaline," a cloud-based product for performance/competition-driven car owners. The sensor-based product — fitted in this case in P Zero Trofeo tires — monitors tire pressure and temperature in real time and combines this information with telemetric data to provide the driver indications and suggestions on how to improve his or her on-track performance.