Goodyear claims first production-scale implementation of RFID in tyres

Akron, Ohio -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has laid claim to the first implemention of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology on a production scale. Goodyear says RFID is the future for tyre identification in manufacturing, supply chain management and tyre/vehicle integration.

This weekend, said the comapny, Goodyear's RFID technology passed its first major real-life test when NASCAR used it for Saturday's Craftsman Truck Series race at Homestead - Miami Speedway in Florida.

Steve Roth, Goodyear's director of vehicle systems commented, "The fast-paced, high-pressure racing environment was the perfect real-life test for our patented, embedded RFID tag, which has been in development in our laboratories for several years."

In a press release, Goodyear said it began exploring RFID technology in 1984 and in 1993 began the first field trial with more than 3000 tyres.

Roth said he expects RFID to have a substantial impact on tyre production, warehousing, sales and service. He said The tags provide for automated reading by RFID scanning equipment and are capable of carrying large amounts of information. Tyre identification is the first piece of data that will be available, but as the technology progresses, specific tyre data could also be added that would allow for improved vehicle performance, claimed Roth.

Goodyear is an advocate for the use of the EPCglobal Unique Identification (UID) format for data contained on the RFID tag. Roth said providing a standard is one of the most important steps in getting new technology adopted, easing implementation for both customers and suppliers.