Sensata Technologies (NYSE: ST), today announced a new collaboration with NIRA Dynamics AB to deliver an accurate and robust tire Tread Depth Monitoring (TDM) ‘virtual sensor’ system for automotive OEMs that optimizes tire health and improves vehicle safety, efficiency and uptime.   The TDM solution, powered by NIRA Dynamics’ tread wear estimation software, is designed to give vehicle OEMs, drivers and fleets timely alerts when tires have worn to unsafe levels and need servicing. 

Combining Sensata Technologies’ expertise in automotive sensors with NIRA Dynamics’ proficiency in developing embedded software and cloud services, the TDM solution adds new safety and maintenance capabilities to Sensata’s existing market-leading tire safety products.

The virtual sensor system is a new, innovative technology that gathers and combines data from multiple existing sensors on a vehicle, including Sensata’s tire pressure sensors, to provide accurate information about tire wear and tear.

This software-based system uses a complex algorithm that monitors the tire tread’s decreasing depth, while compensating for a wide range of real-world environmental challenges. The system tracks tires through changes and rotations and provides a more comprehensive solution than just measuring the distance travelled.