- The technology pulls information from vehicle cameras to analyze road conditions.
- Goodyear also has tires that can measure how much friction they have with the road surface.
- There’s no word on when these systems will be ready for production.
Goodyear wants to make driving in adverse weather conditions safer, and it’s premiered a trick new system that can analyze road conditions, tire information, and trigger a car’s autonomous emergency braking (AEB) earlier than usual. Technology like this could play an important role in ensuring automakers comply with US regulations for all new cars sold in the US to have AEB by 2029. So, how does it work?
Currently, most AEB systems are tuned for use on high-friction surfaces like dry roads, and may not perform well in rain or snow. By working with Dutch research organization TNO, Goodyear can use data pulled from a vehicle’s front and rear cameras, third-party weather information, and details about the make and age of a tire to determine the best time for an AEB system to be activated.
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That’s not all. By using Goodyear’s SightLine suite of tire intelligence solutions, advanced new tires that can measure the amount of friction with the road surface, their own air pressure, and when the rubber has become too worn, the tire manufacturer can more accurately depict the right amount of AEB force that’s required.
Goodyear says that its tests on wet roads indicate an AEB system using SightLine technology can mitigate impacts at speeds of up to 80 km/h (50 mph) by clamping down on the brakes much sooner than it would on a dry surface.
“Safety is a cornerstone of Goodyear’s commitment to innovation,” senior vice president and chief technology officer of Goodyear, Chris Helsel, said. “By providing critical inputs about tire and road conditions into AEB systems, we are helping OEMs and their customers take a leap forward in safety, well ahead of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) 2029 mandate for AEB systems in passenger vehicles. Beyond this mandate, AEB systems will play a critical role in automated driving, helping to provide a comprehensive safety solution at all times.”
Speaking with The Verge, vice president of tire intelligence and e-mobility solutions at Goodyear, Wener Happenhofer, added that if the system determines the maximum deceleration potential is just half a G on a slippery surface, it “would react way earlier if it spots a situation where a crash is imminent.”
