82 million packages will ship each day during the holiday peak, but some will arrive late because of a preventable problem: Flat tires. How can fleets capture crucial info on delivery truck health before a tire failure stops them cold? AI-driven insights from data captured by intelligent sensors are now a reliable tool.
We’ll summarize how this works and what benefits customers are already seeing. First, let’s understand the range of captured tire data.
Data Trove
Fleetwide, Revvo’s AI-powered sensors collect a rich set of raw data from inside the tire. Running on 300 million miles of training data, Revvo AI sensors detect the following from each tire every 60 seconds:
- Tire pressure
- Temperature
- Tire rotation samples
- Tread depth
- GPS location
- Battery voltage
- Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)
Revvo then provides insights at the tire, vehicle, and fleet levels. Revvo’s TireIQ performs two key functions:
- Analysis. Monitor trends across fleets to give insights on tire health, safety, fuel efficiency, and more.
- Prediction. Recommend preventative actions to minimize vehicle downtime and tire costs.
“Running on 300 million miles of training data, Revvo AI sensors detect a truckload of data every 60 seconds.”
Trends
Revvo recently aggregated data across 73 brands, extracting trends from TireIQ’s AI models.
Temperature + Pressure
Revvo’s analysis across three separate fleets underscores the imperative of dual tire pressure upkeep. Proper inflation maintenance on dual tires not only improves safety but also extends tire lifespan and reduces downtime. In Revvo’s study, three fleets with 11% dual tires exhibiting significant deviations in pressure showed a 13% increase in high-temperature tires (>180°F). Sub-optimal inflation levels in tires (such as below 80% RCIP) led to an increase in tread consumption. Investing in an AI fleet tire monitoring system that detects and reports on low-inflation tires can bring meaningful savings, as cost per tire is ~$120 to retread and ~$1,200 to purchase new.
Fuel Efficiency + Pressure
In the three-month period from July 1 to September 30, 2023, Revvo evaluated the fuel efficiency of 20 vehicles. Our analysis of the miles per gallon (MPG) dataset revealed that a 17.5% increase in cold psi resulted in a remarkable 1 MPG boost in fuel efficiency, a 9.9% improvement based on an average of 8 mpg. Driving 77 truck tires at suboptimal pressure—8% below the recommended pressure—for a distance of approximately 62,000 miles led to an extra 300 gallons of fuel consumption.
“A 17.5% increase in cold psi resulted in a remarkable 1 MPG boost in fuel efficiency.”
Brand Matters
The analysis also showed that the choice of premium tire brands impacts ROI. TireIQ found that premium brands exhibited a remarkable 13.6% reduction in critical events per tire with about 3% increase in mileage when compared with economy brands.
“Vehicles running on premium tire brands saw 13% fewer critical events while still improving mileage efficiency.”
Green Rubber
Incomplete tire management can miss the mark on your sustainability goals. In this Revvo study alone, manufacturing just the necessary replacement tires would require ~15 gallons of oil per tire and 16 lbs of steel consumed per tire (~450 gallons of oil and 480 additional lbs of steel in aggregate for this study).
“Enviro-unfriendly: Producing replacement tires will use 450 extra gallons of oil and 480 lbs of steel just for these 3 fleets alone.”
The Wrong Kind of Off-roading
The extra cost of handling tire damage isn’t just for raw materials. The vehicles in this study also required 30+ hours of unscheduled labor to fix tire concerns — adding dual costs of extra labor and more time spent off the road, missing delivery deadlines.
Tread Lightly
After conducting a four-month analysis of tread wear patterns on 10 truck-trailers, it became evident that drive tires exhibited a wear rate twice that of the steer tires. This discrepancy is likely attributed to the heightened influence of factors like traction and torque, weight distribution, driving conditions, aggressive driving and braking, which exert a more pronounced impact on the wear of drive tires when compared to steer tires.
More Operational Insights
Along with the trends above, AI-powered sensors and analysis help OPex and CAPex in other ways.
Leak Detection
TireIQ can determine whether a vehicle tire is undergoing a slow leak. In some cases, predictive fleet analytics can determine whether a vehicle is at greater risk given the conditions of its particular route.
Real-time Driver Alerts
Alerts for high tire temperatures can help drivers learn of overloading issues, prompting better training or giving a clearer contrast between maintenance services.
Tread Loss Rate Comparisons
TireIQ gives a detailed analysis of tread wear over time so that maintenance teams can predict expected tire life and schedule low-disruption service calls.
Tire Retreadability
Implementing active tire monitoring provides crucial insights into the retreadability of tires. This advanced system empowers managers to make informed decisions, optimizing tire efficiency and extending their lifespan for enhanced performance and cost-effectiveness. Active tire monitoring also uncovers environmentally friendly practices for a more sustainable approach to tire management.
Tire-mismatch Pressure Detection
Implementing active tire pressure monitoring is crucial for preventing pressure mismatches. When tires have disparate pressures especially on mating tires, it can lead to uneven load distribution, causing one tire to bear a heavier load and experience increased heat compared to its adjacent counterpart. This not only compromises safety but also accelerates wear and tear. By using active tire pressure monitoring, fleet managers proactively mitigate these risks, ensuring optimal performance, safety, and longevity for vehicles.
Dynamic Temperature Alert
Continuous monitoring of tire cavity temperature is a crucial activity, capable of promptly signaling potential mechanical issues. This proactive approach enhances the overall safety and performance of the vehicle by providing timely alerts, thereby mitigating risks and ensuring optimal functionality.
