Pirelli CyberTyre: these rubbers have brains

Tires are so much more than a bulbous round of rubber. Pirelli is taking tire-making to a whole new level, reportedly working on a “CyberTyre” that will sport an embedded microchip, relaying road data to the car’s onboard computer. By sending this information, the vehicle can “make changes or issue warnings to make the driving experience safer.”

Things like road temperature can affect traction, so perhaps the tires have some sort of integrated thermometer too. They can also keep track of mileage to let you know when it’s time for a new set of rubbers. Tire pressure monitors are fairly common in new vehicles, so this could be the next logical step. Pirelli even bought a patent for tire-monitoring technology from Fioravanti of Italy.