A 24.99% stake in the Italian AI startup opens the door to new vehicle safety and diagnostic capabilities with direct implications for the Canadian market.

 Pirelli has signed an agreement with RIDEsense, a spin-out from the University of Naples Federico II and the MegaRide Group specializing in advanced mobility technologies. The tiremaker is acquiring a 24.99% equity stake in the startup — with an option to increase its holding to 100% — and securing a license to use RIDEsense’s virtual sensor technology.

The smart tire enters a new era

The collaboration combines the physical sensors of Pirelli’s Cyber Tyre system with RIDEsense’s virtual sensors — physics-based algorithms that process data from sensors already installed in vehicles. The result: enhanced aquaplaning detection, tire and vehicle diagnostics, and new capabilities within advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving technologies.

A technology arriving on Canadian roads

The Pirelli Cyber Tyre system is already fitted as original equipment on select vehicle models currently on the market. For Canadian collision shops and service centres, the growing integration of intelligent tire technologies raises concrete questions about diagnostics and repair readiness. As connected and autonomous vehicles become more prevalent on Canadian roads, mastering these systems will be an essential advantage for aftermarket professionals.

Picture credit : Tire Technology International