Michelin has announced it is working on a ‘communicating’ tyre for the FIA Formula E Championship, to be fitted on the Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E car.
Michelin is an official partner and supplier to the FIA Formula E Championship, which will be the first FIA-sanctioned world championship for electric single-seater race cars when it kicks off in September 2014.
In a major first for an international single-seater racing championship, Michelin will incorporate an electric tag within the tyre, known as a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Device) which will enable the tyres provided to competitors to be identified individually.
“These RFID chips will be embedded in the tyres’ sidewalls to ensure their traceability, from their production right through to their return to the factory after use at the racetrack,” explains Serge Grisin, manager of Michelin Motorsport’s four-wheel programmes.
“Traditionally, this information is collected using an optical bar code reader. These new electronic tags open up all sorts of possibilities in additional to simply identifying individual tyres. They will be able to collect data relating to running conditions including temperature and pressure sensors. It will be possible to record and access information covering the tyre’s entire lifecycle.”
Embedding RFID chips in racing tyres should also ease the introduction of new regulations by motorsport organisers seeking to cap the number of tyres competitors may use in competition, leading to knock-on benefits in terms of cost savings and extended tyre life.
This innovation has been approved for use in the FIA Formula E Championship and comes on top of the unique characteristics of Michelin tyres for the series that were announced previously.
To optimise energy efficiency and foster the transfer of technology from motorsport to road tyres, the tyres being developed feature an interior diameter of 18 inches, with the FIA Formula E Championship the first international single-seater racing championship to feature tyres of this size.
The tyres feature a tread pattern designed for safe performance in both wet and dry conditions and special attention has also been paid to longevity, since drivers will only be permitted to use one set of tyres per race meeting including free practice, qualifying and the race.
Development of the tyre will continue until the competition’s first race in Beijing, China on September 13, 2014.
