SRI Introduces Innovative Wheel Detachment Feature to Combat Loose Wheel Accidents

Key Highlights:

•    Falken Tyres' Sensing Core adds a new safety feature: detects loose wheels.
•    Technology uses vehicle data to spot even slight loosening of wheel nuts.
•    Planned for inclusion in production vehicles starting this year.
•    SRI also exploring cloud-based tyre wear monitoring for future maintenance benefits.

Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI), the manufacturer of Falken tyres, has made a significant advancement in the ongoing development of its Sensing Core intelligent tyre technology. A new wheel detachment function is planned to debut in production vehicles this year. Sensing Core is a versatile, sensor-free analysis and monitoring system with a wide range of applications, including tyre pressure and wear, unequal loads, and hazardous road conditions.

Accidents and injuries caused by detachable wheels have increased in recent years, particularly in markets like Japan. When automobile and truck drivers convert to winter tyres, they may not tighten the wheel nuts properly. Many commercial vehicle operators put mechanical clips on the bolts for visual inspection.

The Japanese government is keen to put an end to loose wheel accidents. SRI believes that the Sensing Core's wheel detachment function is a step toward achieving this goal. An OEM client will install the function as standard equipment on a vehicle for the first time in 2024. The company reports that discussions with additional vehicle manufacturers are now underway.

The wheel detachment function, like the previously created 'pillars' of the Sensing Core, is independent of tyre type, model, or size. It uses wheel-speed signals and other data from the vehicle's controller area network (CAN) to determine whether any wheel nuts are loose by as little as one mm.

Deflation Warning System

Sensing Core originated from SRI's original deflation warning system (DWS), an indirect tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS). Fifteen OEMs from Europe, Japan, China, and India use its DWS in their vehicles. Sensing Core is now the center of gravity of all peripheral services. SRI is working to address the future difficulties of CASE vehicles and mobility as a service.

"We believe Sensing Core will make an important contribution to the evolution and further development of mobility in the future autonomous driving society," stated Dr. Bernd Löwenhaupt, Managing Director of Sumitomo Rubber Europe GmbH.

"We will not only utilize the data obtained by Sensing Core, including road condition data, for vehicle control but also pursue technological development with our eyes on the future integration of the data with societal information via cloud services,” he added.

Cloud-based tyre wear monitoring

A rental company in Japan is participating in SRI's fleet trials of cloud-based TPMS. They have already contributed to demonstrating the efficiency, economic, and safety benefits of tyre-based information.

Another potential use of Sensing Core is cloud-based tyre wear monitoring. In this scenario, cloud-based software collects vehicle usage data and properly predicts tyre wear. When a tyre is due for replacement, an alarm is issued to the driver or fleet management.

In the coming years, more drivers will benefit from Sensing Core's capabilities. SRI revealed their Viaduct investment at the January 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Since 2023, it has collaborated with an AI-powered, connected-vehicle analytics business to develop a proof-of-concept. Sensing Core will work with Viaduct's solution to anticipate tyre health over an entire fleet.

CMV360 Says

The introduction of Falken Tyres' Sensing Core's wheel detachment function marks a significant leap in vehicle safety technology. By addressing the issue of loose wheels during tyre changes, this innovation has the potential to save lives and reduce accidents on the roads, aligning with the ongoing efforts towards enhancing automotive safety standards globally.