Michelin trialling 'smart' bus tyres at London Olympics

ERJ staff report (DS)

London -- Michelin is installing 'smart' tyres on a fleet of buses used for the London Olympics. The tyres use micro-chips with pressure and temperature sensors as well as RFID capability

The RFID chip has a lifespan longer than the tyre and is self-powered. The data contained in the chips is transmitted by a non-contact radio frequency system. These waves also provide power to the chip, removing the need for a battery.

With the Michelin “communicating” tyre, an operator walks past the vehicle with an electronic reader that gathers complete data, and at the same time receives each tyre's unique identification number from the RFID chip. This enables operators to ensure flawless traceability as to the tyre's history.

To develop the technology, Michelin spent 7 years on research, filed around 20 patent

families and drove some 50,000 tyresa total of 6 billion kilometers in tests conducted around

the world.

The tyres will be used on a fleet of buses operated by Stagecoach, one of the first European fleets to be trialling the use of RFID technology in their Michelin tyres.

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Press release from Michelin