Key Takeaways
- Sumitomo Rubber Industries introduces tech to prevent wheels from accidental detachment
- The new tech uses wheel-speed signals to detect loose nuts
- A production vehicle will initially get the feature his year in Japan
Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI), the parent company of the Falken tire brand, has introduced a new technology set to prevent wheels from accidental detachment. The Japanese company said the feature will become standard in a production vehicle this year.
Needless to say, wheels flying off accidentally is dangerous for both the vehicle and other road users. We’ve seen these countless times, almost always followed by a catastrophic incident. The new tech aims to prevent these mishaps by letting the drivers know if their wheel nuts are becoming loose.
How Does It Work?
The system works by integrating the software into the vehicle’s controller area network (CAN), detecting wheel-speed signals and other information. When the nuts are loose, the wheel vibrates and could cause eccentric rotation. SRI claims the tech can detect these movements as little as 0.04 inches. Even better, the tech works regardless of the tire’s brand, model, and size.
SRI’s wheel detachment alert is part of the firm’s Sensing Core intelligent tire technology. Introduced in 2019, the tech is a flexible, sensor-less analysis and monitoring system for various applications, including tire pressure monitoring. While not as essential as a seat belt, tire pressure monitoring systems have become more available industry-wide. We’re counting on the wheel detachment alert to follow suit given its convenience and usefulness.
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The technology uses LiDAR to detect potential risks from a lateral direction.
What’s Next For Sensing Core?
While a visual inspection before every journey is a reliable way to check wheel nuts, it depends immensely on the driver’s diligence. A wheel detachment alert will be immensely helpful for vehicle owners who are always on the go, and we expect the safety tech to become another industry standard.
SRI’s wheel detachment alert will first become standard in a production OEM vehicle in Japan this year. The company didn’t disclose which brand, but we won’t be surprised if it’s Japanese. Of note, SRI previously had partnerships with 15 car brands with its deflation warning system (DWS) – an indirect tire pressure monitoring system. The company is also working on a cloud-based and predictive tire wear monitoring system as part of Sensing Core.
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