LAS VEGAS — Anyline G.m.b.H., a developer of mobile data capture technology, is launching a software-based tire-tread scanning tool that works on any camera-enabled smartphone or mobile device.
The software solution, which measures tire tread depth, was unveiled Nov. 1 at a press conference held at the SEMA Show 2022 in Las Vegas.
Anyline's Tire Tread Scanner works by pointing the camera of any standard mobile device at the tire tread to be measured.
Using state-of-the-art computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI), Anyline's Tire Tread Scanner creates a 3D model of each tread from a photo taken by the mobile device. This model results in a precise digital measurement that can be stored and shared with customers.
The solution can be integrated into workforce or consumer-facing apps, meaning that tire technicians and customers alike can start scanning tire treads without training and receive consistent, objective results, Anyline said.
"Digitization has revolutionized automotive safety standards in the last decade, yet tire maintenance has stubbornly remained in the analog-age," Anyline co-founder and CEO Lukas Kinigadner, said.
Measuring tire treadwear currently requires dedicated analog or digital tools that technicians use to physically measure each tire groove, Anyline said.
This relatively slow process is a "breeding ground" for measurement inconsistencies and data-entry errors, Anyline claims, that could cost tire retailers hundreds of millions of dollars every year and put drivers' safety at risk.
At Anyline, we are replacing outdated manual measurements with digital data capture to make tire inspections easier, faster and safer for drivers," Kinigadner said.
Anyline entered the automotive market in 2020 with the launch of a pioneering tire DOT tire-identification number (TIN) scanner. Created in partnership with Discount Tire/America's Tire, this solution enabled technicians to capture vital tire data digitally in seconds, with far greater accuracy.
"We are excited for what Anyline is working on next, as they continue to push the boundaries of what can be done with mobile data capture technology," Tom Williams, chief experience officer, Discount Tire, said.
Founded in Vienna, Austria, in 2013 by Kinigadner, David Dengg, Daniel Albertini and Jakob Hofer, Anyline's patented optical character recognition technology has attracted a portfolio of international clients, as well as national governments and the United Nations.
Another client for the TIN-scanning technology is ATEQ TPMS Tools L.C., which upgraded its range of TPMS tools in 2021 with Anyline's mobile data-capture technology. The device also is able to scan vehicle identification numbers (VIN) and license plates.
Boston-based Anyline Inc. plans to offer the Tire Tread Scanner as an annual subscription, based on the number of scans or number of devices a customer uses, according to Christian Plaichner, chief product officer of Anyline.
For the initial phase of the product roll-out, Anyline plans to work with all customers directly.
