Pirelli to test ‘cyber tyre’ on Italian police vehicles

Rome, Italy – Pirelli is to test its ‘cyber tyre’ technology on vehicles operated by Italy’s Carabinieri, the country’s national military police force.

Under an agreement announced 21 Sept, the tire maker will equip five Alfa Romeo Tonale vehicles used by the Carabinieri’s Rome Radiomobile Unit for patrol and emergency-response duties.

The goal, Pirelli said, is to monitor the "health status" of Rome's road infrastructure to identify potential risk factors and contribute to improving road safety.

Sensors embedded in the tires will collect road-condition data, which will be combined with information from onboard cameras and analysed using artificial intelligence.

The system will identify “road-surface anomalies and signage issues” and help create an updated map of road conditions, Pirelli said.

The camera data will be analysed using AI algorithms developed by technology partner Univrses, while operation of the system will be “completely automatic” and require no intervention from Carabinieri personnel.

“The cyber tire system is capable of operating seamlessly even on tires subjected to continuous strain and heavy stress,” said Pirelli executive chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera.

Pirelli has previously deployed the tires in road-monitoring projects with Italian motorway technology company Movyon and the Apulia regional government.