Purdue tire design can sense damage, warn driver

Usually you can't tell that there's a problem with one of your tires until you've already swerved off the road and crashed into something stationary, but thanks to a group of scientists from Purdue University, the next generation of wheel wraps may be able to detect problems before you're face-to-face with the base of a telephone pole. Led by Gary Krutz of the school's Electrohydraulic Center, the team was able to produce a multi-layer design that can sense damage or defects anywhere on the tire, and which immediately alerts the driver to danger via an embedded chip. First up to adopt the new tech will likely be race car sponsors, who have a high incentive to protect their expensive investments against flats; unfortunately, this safety improvement for drivers will come at the expense of the nation's rabid NASCAR fans, as the likely decline in crashes will only serve to direct their blood-lust at fellow spectators.

[Image courtesy of Purdue University]

[Jonathan Bergeron @ Dec 20th 2007 10:43AM]

That sucks. Crashes are the best part of NASCAR races.

[strider_mt2k @ Dec 20th 2007 10:50AM]

Danger! Danger!

Warning! Warning!

Only if it's "The Robot's" voice.

[paragraph @ Dec 20th 2007 10:56AM]

Huh, usually the loud "THUD THUD THUD THUD" gives it away.....

but I guess NASCAR could use this... Fans will probably hate it though... and go to F1.... then realize they don't like anything that lets the driver turn right....

Seriously though, this could prove to be interesting...

[Chroma @ Dec 20th 2007 12:00PM]

Not every track in nascar is a circle track, fyi.

[Ghen @ Dec 20th 2007 1:09PM]

Those that aren't are usually scorned by fans and are rare anyway. Besides, speedways like Talladega are round enough for the left hand turn joke to apply.

[aeo @ Dec 20th 2007 10:58AM]

Don't lose heart Billy Bob, blowouts aren't the only cause of crashes.

These would be good to have on tractor trailers that share our highways with us. Where better to prevent loss of property and lives?

[ScareyJ @ Dec 20th 2007 11:44AM]

You're right about that ... maybe something like this will help the semis avoid completely losing the retreads in the middle of the highway. I've had the scoop under the radiator pretty much blow apart by pieces left in the middle of the road. Can't imagine being behind one at the time they come off.

[Flashpoint @ Dec 20th 2007 11:01AM]

While Congress is demanding that US Automakers conform to certain MPG ratings within the next decade, they should include a demand that auto makers put TIRE PRESSURE MONITORS in their cars STANDARD.

The cool thing is, you'll not only get a TPM, you'll also get an L.E.D screen to show you which tire is pwned.

[JBDragon @ Dec 20th 2007 10:46PM]

TPS suck! It can be a real hassle if you want to go aftermarket wheels. Sometimes just being left off. They use a little battery that can't be replaced, which means in 5-6 years when the battery dies, either you forget about it, or buy new replacements which isn't cheap. Could be $100 each, So $400 to replace your TPS and Program them for that car. Maybe a little less, maybe a little more. What should be fun around this time is when people get a new set of tires and a week or so later a battery finally dies and they go back to the tire shop and blame them for doing something wrong.

If I had this crap on my 03 Chevy truck which has 20" wheels, I wouldn't have put them in my wheels. You can't disable the warning light which can get annoying, but I could easily make something to put all the sensors in and pressurize and toss under the seat. Problem solved.

TPS seems like a good Idea, but it's pointless! After the 5-6 year old car TPS sensors die, few will pay for new replacements and the programming to make the new ones work. The only ones that will continue to work are on the cheapo cars that don't actually have a TPS sensor in the tire, but use the ABS sensors and the computer to make a educated guess. Not as Accurate but it works good enough and doesn't require anything extra the car doesn't already have.

[Milo @ Dec 20th 2007 11:02AM]

Hey, isn't that Amy Adams in her "Talledega Nights" 'disguise' in the background?

:D

[Neon Jebus @ Dec 20th 2007 11:39AM]

It's happening to Semi trucks so we can only hope it continues to the everyday consumer market.

[Loban @ Dec 20th 2007 11:40AM]

NASCAR is not racing. Formula 1 and IRL are.

[Matt Smith @ Dec 20th 2007 11:41AM]

Why not get rid of those pesky air filled tires and go with the revolutionary airless tires that Michelin is developing... see the video here: http://www.freshcreation.nl/comments.php?id=277_0_1_0_C

[Magallanes @ Dec 20th 2007 11:44AM]

Epson new tires will say "you cannot drive until you will change for a new tire". And you will be amazed changing tires 3 times a year but you will be convinced that you are saving money change only 1 tire at time while the competitor will ask for a full 4 tires changes.

[patsy @ Dec 20th 2007 11:59AM]

Continental already has something somewhat similar, though not able to detect punctures with quite that resolution yet. I'm sure most tire manufacturers already have research along these lines in their labs in pretty advanced stages. When you're in the business of making large rubber donuts that don't change all that often in design and are practically identical to anybody else's, you're grasping for anything that will differentiate your product.

[Todd @ Dec 20th 2007 12:56PM]

The tire in the picture is an aircraft tire...

[Rocketboy @ Dec 20th 2007 1:09PM]

Big whoop. I can see the defect in that tire from 2 city blocks away.

[bones @ Dec 20th 2007 2:14PM]

he's totally doin it just for the chicks

[mattgreene @ Dec 20th 2007 3:10PM]

that girl looks like hurley if your not paying attention, it kinda freaked me out

[Dewy9 @ Dec 20th 2007 3:47PM]

I'd be surprised if NASCAR allowed this since they don't allow virtually any technology or on board computers to be used on the cars. However, it is possible that this would be an exception because of the improved safety.

[bobby wasielewski @ Dec 21st 2007 8:59AM]

man, I guess purdue is the place to go if you're into fat blondes.