Bridgestone and Microsoft are working together to develop a monitoring system, using Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform (MCVP), that can detect tire damage issues in real-time. The system would increase road safety and reduce the number of accidents caused by technical failures.
According to Bridgestone, research shows that technical failures, including tire damage, cause about 30% of car accidents. The safety approach lacks damage to tires that is often difficult to see without a manual inspection, while damaged tires can lead to accidents. Damage to tires mainly lies in insufficient pressure, fatigue, uneven wear, and damage caused by curbs, potholes, or objects on the road.
Bridgestone’s tire damage monitoring system uses the MCVP’s cloud infrastructure, together with the data collected by sensors through already installed hardware, and uses algorithms to detect incidents that affect the surface and the carcass of the tire. The driver can be immediately informed of the danger and act accordingly to remedy this situation.
According to Bridgestone, currently, there is no similar monitoring system on the market, and other alternatives would require the installation of additional hardware.
This tire damage monitoring system not only recognizes when the damage has occurred but also identifies where the damage has happened. In this way, there is a broader view of the conditions and infrastructure of the road, which can be used to alert the agencies responsible for road damage issues, indicating the presence and location of potholes and other hazards. Future autonomous vehicles could also take advantage of the system, allowing vehicles to share information about nearby road hazards.
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Currently, Bridgestone’s new damage monitoring system is available to all vehicle fleets and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) vehicle that uses MCVP. Collaboration with Microsoft also enables Bridgestone to advance the development of solutions to meet the demands of key fleet partners and OEMs around the world.
MCVP will provide Bridgestone with a digital infrastructure that will accelerate its offering of connected mobility solutions, providing access to a multitude of functions from Microsoft Azure cloud, AI (artificial intelligence) and IoT (Internet of Things) platforms. Working with Bridgestone, in turn, helps Microsoft grow its ecosystem of support partners and enables MCVP customers to incorporate these partners’ solutions into their own offering.
