Kobe Keizai News — Tire manufacturer Sumitomo Rubber Industries announced on October 29 that its next-generation “Sensing Core” technology—which enables the tire itself to function as a sensor and collect a wide range of data such as road surface conditions—has been commercialized for the first time.

Isuzu Motors Ltd. has adopted one of Sensing Core’s key functions, “wheel detachment prediction detection,” as standard equipment in its newly launched heavy-duty truck “Giga.” The vehicle will be exhibited at Japan Mobility Show 2025, the nation’s largest auto exhibition, which opens on October 30. (Photo: the new “Giga,” unveiled to the press on October 29)

Sensing Core is a software technology that analyzes wheel speed data generated by tire rotation together with vehicle control data (CAN data) to detect tire air pressure, wear condition, load, road surface conditions, and signs of potential wheel detachment.

The “wheel detachment prediction detection” system adopted in Isuzu’s new Giga identifies loosening of wheel nuts while driving. When an abnormality is detected, the system alerts the driver with a warning display and buzzer sound, helping to prevent serious accidents. In 2024 alone, 120 wheel detachment incidents involving large vehicles were reported in Japan, and the technology is expected to contribute significantly to preventing such accidents.

Kobe Keizai News