Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) has started a joint research partnership with Gunma University’s Centre of Research on Adoption of NextGen Transportation Systems (CRANTS) which will investigate gaining a better understanding of fully automated driving (Level 4) and developing SRI’s tyre related service.
The feedback gained from this research will aid intelligent tyre development and establish a tyre service with digital technology that will contribute to the next generation of mobility and a future non-accident society.
By using sensors in and around the tyres of the autonomous test vehicle, researchers will be able to observe air pressures and rolling tyre temperatures. When abnormal conditions such as a puncture occurs, the sensor will send information to CRANTS where a judgement can be made by the automated driving control centre. With this technology, SRI hopes to provide safer tyre service for a fully automated driving society.
Under the environment of current automobile industry which has been changing significantly, SRI has created a tyre technology development concept, “Smart Tyre Concept”, in order to provide “Even Greater Safety” and “Even Higher Environmental Performance” with the aim of reducing accidents.
CRANTS was established as a joint industry, academia and government innovation to research the social implementation & development of the next generation mobility system. CRANTS has already started public road demonstration experiments with an automated vehicle in Kiryu City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan.
