Michelin opens patents to promote tire RFID standard

ERJ staff report (BC)

Boulogne-Billancourt – Reliable radio frequency identification (RFID) of tires with embedded technology has already shown it can improve tire tracking throughout the life cycle, says Michelin Group. The French tire maker cites a single worldwide standard as key to getting the technology adopted faster.

Michelin will therefore license free of charge any of its patents where this would help the process. It will expect reciprocity from other interested parties in line with “fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory” (FRAND) licensing policies.

Terry Gettys, executive vice president for research and development at Michelin, said: “During the London Olympic Games last year, Michelin’s tire-embedded RFID was used on buses to improve safety and operational efficiency. We believe that the most important enabler to a broader integration of such technology within the transportation industry is the adoption of a global standard. This small step should help us get there.”