What's the latest in tire technology today? Perhaps you might want to check out connected tires.

Connected tires are the newest innovation in tire technology today. Goodyear has been experimenting with embedded tire sensors that relay information about the tire's characteristics.

According to the tire company, this is significant, since it can use the information it gets to perform features that can increase vehicle safety and performance on the road.

"Consider someone driving on a slick, curvy road in cold temperatures. The driver adjusts his movements by slowing down, tapping the brakes or avoiding sudden steering. But what happens when nobody is behind the wheel? The tire is the only part of the vehicle that touches the ground and it can communicate vital information to the vehicle, enhancing safety and performance, " explained Chris Helsel, Goodyear's Chief Technology Officer.

This vital information, which can be measured by the tire's sensors, include tire wear, load, inflation and temperature, along with road surface conditions—all given in real time. This can give the vehicle time to adjust and respond, depending upon the road conditions it is in.

Called "Connected Tires" by Goodyear, these embedded sensors can "communicate" with the vehicle and the road to enhance vehicle  performance and safety.

Goodyear has been studying this technology, and has recently "eclipsed 3 million miles of data from road tests and field trials with customers derived from its connected tires."

Here's how it works: Goodyear's connected, intelligent tires continuously measure and record data on the tires, pair these information with other vehicle data it has taken in the past, and connect them to the tire company's cloud-based proprietary algorithms. 

Initial studies are very encouraging. According to the tire company, the connected tires can lessen stopping distance lost between a new and worn tire by 30 percent. This is significant, especially with the rise of electric and autonomous vehicles.

While these connected tire vehicles have yet to become commercialized, Goodyear has already elapsed a 4.8 million kilometer equivalent in data from field trials and road tests that prove they work.

These connected tires are still being continuously examined with help of other car suppliers and car manufacturers.

According to Goodyear, the information that they will collect will go "towards developing custom products and solutions for improved road safety for eventual use by consumers." 

Also Read

Goodyear Creates the “Almost Perfect” Self-Driving Tire

Pothole Warriors Here are the Best Cars, Tires, and Technologies to Combat Them