Bridgestone and Microsoft have teamed up to develop a system that can spot damage to your tyres in real-time.
According to Bridgestone, some 30 per cent of car accidents that are attributed to technical failure are down to bad tyres. That can mean tyres that are under-inflated, worn, have an irregular tread pattern, or have been damaged by contact with a kerb or pothole.
'Safety Gap' between pressure and damage
While tyre pressure monitoring systems have been fitted, as standard, to cars since 2012, pressure is only part of the story. Damage can occur at any time and, until now, has required careful, manual inspection to spot. Bridgestone says that this 'safety gap' can be a major contributor to accident rates.
Well, maybe no more. By using the Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform (MCVP), Bridgestone and the Seattle software giant reckon that they can monitor your tyres' condition in real-time, and without the need for any additional hardware.
Warns the driver and marks the spot
The MCVP is a software system that allows Microsoft to offer such features as in-vehicle infotainment, advanced navigation, autonomous driving, telematics and prediction services, as well as over-the-air updates (OTA). By using a new detection algorithm developed with Bridgestone, MCVP can use the existing tyre pressure monitoring systems (which are usually based around an infra-red camera) to monitor the entire tyre for damage. Not only can it tell you when damage occurs, instantly warning the driver, but it can also tell you where on the road that damage has occurred, and can be used to flag up potential dangers to other motorists and the authorities.
Peace of mind for millions of drivers
Laurent Dartoux, CEO and President of Bridgestone EMIA, says: "Digital is such a huge part of what we do today at Bridgestone; it's imperative that we work with industry-leading partners who can support our needs today and in the future. By teaming up with Microsoft we have the opportunity to bring our Tyre Damage Monitoring System to millions of drivers, offering them better safety and peace of mind."
"Microsoft partners with mobility companies to support their transformation into smart mobility services providers. With the Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform, our mission is to help businesses accelerate the delivery of safe and personalised connected mobility experiences. Using MCVP, Bridgestone has created Tyre Damage Monitoring System that offers a remarkable contribution to road safety and proves how the collaboration between industry leaders can unlock new business opportunities ahead", said Tara Prakriya, General Manager, Azure Mobility and Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform at Microsoft.