Being the only part of a car that touches the road, tires can have a major impact on both the efficiency and performance of a vehicle. Tire manufacturer Pirelli and automotive supplier Bosch believe that the development of tires as an extension of the vehicle`s sensing system can help, according to GreenCarReports.

The two companies have announced their partnership for the development of smart tires, with embedded sensors that can offer “better safety, comfort, sustainability, but also an improved driving experience,” says the companies.

The improvements will serve as an aid to the transmission of information from the embedded sensors of the tires to the onboard computer, which will allow vehicles to be better adapted for road conditions. Bosch and Pirelly have already demonstrated the technology behind this project with special Pirelli tires for the Pagani Utopia car.

However, it was not mentioned if a technology as such will allow Pirelli to design tires specifically designed for EV (electric vehicles). The higher curb weights and torque-rich motors make the tires of electric vehicles wear out faster, which can damage the environment, as admitted by the tire manufacturer Michelin.

Michelin says that airless tires are the future of electric vehicles and that they will avoid future waste caused by the premature replacement of them.

By reducing the rolling resistance, the electric vehicles will achieve maximum distance, while hybrids will achieve maximum fuel economy. California has already considered new standards of efficiency for the replacement of tires to ensure that sold cars with their original equipment will receive compatible parts.

If these smart tires are the future of vehicles or not, or if they will be more complex than efficient will remain uncertain for now.