Michelin has piloted RFID in tires for seven years, including embedding tags on 50,000 tires that have logged more than 3.4 billion miles to test the technology for monitoring tire pressure and maintenance. Now, the long drive to commercialize RFID in tires is coming to fruition.

Michelin has included RFID tags on its X InCity tires being used on bus fleets in London that will transport millions of visitors during the Olympic Games in London that begin next month. By combining a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and RFID, Michelin is enabling London transport operators to enhance the safety of the tires fitted on their buses, improving the mobility of both vehicles and transport users.

The double decker bus, a fixture on the streets of London, has gone high tech with RFID-enabled tires from Michelin.

By integrating RFID chips into its Michelin X InCity tires, the TPMS sensors make it possible to easily obtain tire pressure and temperature data and ensure flawless traceability that streamlines and secures monitoring for the entire life of the tire.

London transport operator Stagecoach has deploying RFID in tires across a fleet of 100 double-decker buses in London, representing one of the first major European rollouts for RFID in commercial tires.

“We’re pleased to be trialing this new technology with Michelin,” says Sam Greer, UK Bus Regional Director at Stagecoach. “It has the potential to improve fuel efficiency and pro-long tire life which could lead to improved operational efficiency.”

Click here to read the full article from this week’s issue of RFID 24-7.