The Conti C.A.R.E (“Connected. Autonomous. Reliable. Electrified.”) technology system demonstrates how the wheel and tire could potentially interact in the future. The tire, which was unveiled at IAA 2019, is equipped with sensors in the tire structure that continuously generate and interpret data. The data collected covers the tread depth, possible damage, tire temperature and pressure. The data on the condition of the tire is sent via the ContiSense control system to the ContiConnect Live web-based application, which, in turn, supports efficient transportation management for fleet managers.

In addition, the tire pressure can be actively adjusted via centrifugal pumps integrated in the wheel. When the vehicle is accelerating, the centrifugal force in the wheel acts on the pump and generates compressed air. In this way, the PressureProof technology integrated in the Conti C.A.R.E. tires maintains the tire pressure within the ideal range, helping to cut CO2 emissions over the long term. The excess compressed air is collected in an integrated tank and can be used for adjusting the pressure for short periods in line with different situations on the road.

With this technology system, Continental is demonstrating how the interaction of wheel and tire technology as well as the controllability of their performance properties can be fine-tuned in the future. The Conti C.A.R.E. tires are optimized in line with the requirements of electrified and autonomous driving in private and shared transportation scenarios.