Michelin has unveiled an ambitious smart tyre system that harnesses artificial intelligence to deliver real-time data on tyre condition, wear patterns, and road conditions. The SmartLoad and SmartWear ecosystem represents a significant leap beyond conventional tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), promising enhanced safety, performance, and substantial cost savings for fleet operators.
Whilst TPMS technology has become standard since the 1980s—first appearing on the 1986 Porsche 959—today's increasingly sophisticated vehicles demand equally intelligent tyres. Michelin's new system goes far beyond simple pressure alerts, integrating advanced algorithms with over a century of tyre development expertise to provide comprehensive monitoring capabilities.
The system leverages the Sonatus Collector AI platform to capture and interpret crucial performance data, including braking intensity, vehicle weight, tyre load, cornering forces, and terrain conditions. This continuous stream of information enables precise tracking of tyre health with unprecedented detail.
At the heart of the SmartLoad and SmartWear ecosystem are AI algorithms designed to provide exact insights into tyre wear patterns. The system can determine how specific terrain affects tyre degradation and map current tread topography in real time.
According to Ali Rezgui, Michelin's vice president of Tyre Digital Twin, the AI integration enables extended tyre life and improved performance through intelligent monitoring. Users can access this wealth of data through the MyTyres app, a free interface featuring intuitive graphs and illustrations designed to maximise tyre health and driver safety.
Michelin has positioned the system as particularly valuable for commercial fleet operators, where tyre management represents a significant operational expense. By moving beyond time-based replacement schedules, fleet managers gain precise insight into individual tyre condition, enabling accurate end-of-life forecasting.
The system provides precise tyre identification, allowing each tyre to be tracked individually and maintained accordingly. Michelin projects the technology could save companies $1.68 billion globally by 2030 through reduced maintenance costs and prevention of premature replacements.
In a market increasingly concerned about data privacy, Michelin has adopted a distinctly different approach from some competitors. Rather than relying on cloud-based systems that transmit vehicle data to external servers, Michelin's solution retains the majority of vital tracking data within the vehicle itself.
This privacy-first architecture addresses growing concerns about modern vehicles collecting and sharing personal data with manufacturers and third parties without driver consent. The approach stands in stark contrast to cloud-dependent systems, which have attracted scrutiny from privacy advocates and, in some cases, national security officials.
The new sensor-equipped tyres will be 100% recyclable, according to company executives, aligning with Michelin's broader "All-Sustainable" campaign. This ambitious initiative aims to achieve mass production of fully sustainable tyres by 2050.
Michelin has already made significant progress, unveiling bus tyres containing 58% sustainable materials in 2022. The manufacturer continues integrating recyclable materials including polystyrene waste, r-PET textiles, and bio-based butadiene, whilst investing in recycling technology firms such as Pyrowave and Carbios.
Michelin developed the digital infrastructure and AI systems in partnership with California-based Sonatus, a vehicle software specialist founded by IT data centre pioneer Jeffrey Chou in 2018. The company has secured over $100 million in investment from major industry players including Hyundai and Foxconn.
Sonatus's Collector system, which integrates generative AI and natural language processing to track and predict vehicle health, is currently deployed in over one million vehicles globally.
Whilst the AI smart tyres aren't yet available to the public, Michelin will showcase the technology at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The demonstration will feature a 1970 Ford Bronco equipped with Michelin smart tyres, with wheels traversing terrain to enable attendees to track tyre health and wear in real time via the MyTyres app.
Looking ahead, Michelin executives have outlined plans to enable manufacturers to create digital twins of tyres. These virtual representations will allow drivers to view full 3D visualisations of wear patterns, maintenance requirements, and projected lifespan based on their particular driving style and conditions.
Michelin isn't alone in pursuing intelligent tyre technology. Competitor Pirelli has developed its Cyber Tyre system, which places sensors in the tread to monitor wear, pressure, temperature, and load. Pirelli's technology, which debuted on recent Aston Martin models, also enables vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, particularly valuable for autonomous driving systems.
The Italian manufacturer's Cyber Tyre technology earned recognition as Most Innovative Tyre Technology in 2025 from AutoTech Breakthrough. However, Pirelli's reliance on cloud-based systems has raised concerns, particularly given partial ownership by Chinese firm Sinochem. New US government software requirements and hardware restrictions designed to prevent foreign data access could potentially affect Pirelli's market presence.
Michelin's privacy-focused, vehicle-based data approach may prove strategically advantageous in an increasingly security-conscious market, potentially positioning the French manufacturer favourably as intelligent tyre systems become standard equipment on modern vehicles.
Tagged with: smart tyres, tyre digital twin, tyre wear analysis, fleet tyre management, TPMS evolution, connected vehicles, data privacy, edge computing, sustainable materials, tyre lifecycle
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