Pirelli’s Smartest Tire Could Be A National Security Risk

Sales of select Pirelli Tires equipped with its advanced CyberTyre technology could be restricted in the United States after concerns were raised by the United States Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security over the Italian brand’s largest Chinese investor Sinochem. Pirelli, which currently works closely with eight different manufacturers for bespoke compounds for the likes of the Ferrari 296 and the Bentley Continental GT (and even ‘prestige’ models like the F40, F50 and Enzo, and the Mulsanne, among many others), was highlighted in a letter put forward by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) on April 25, and first reported on by Bloomberg.

If found to be the case, and while the BIS is not advocating for an outright ban, Pirelli would need to request special authorization to import CyberTyre technology to the U.S. The move could prove financially damaging for Pirelli, a quarter of whose sales came from the United States last year.

How Pirelli’s CyberTyre Technology Works

Introduced in 2010, Pirelli’s Cyber Tyre – dubbed “the intelligent tire” was designed to provide “a considerable increase in safety” by effectively allowing the tire to ‘talk’ to the interface of the vehicle on which it has been mounted. A sensor, which runs on a microchip powered by the inertia of the wheel, is inserted within the tire and interfaces with the vehicle’s software, allowing data to be passed back and forth, and adjustments to be made as required, whilst on the move.

The traction control setup, for example, on a sports car boasting performance-focused Pirelli P Zeros could be automatically adjusted should the tire sense a wet surface, while the Scorpion Winter compound on a fully-loaded SUV could also lead to automatic recalibration of the brake bias and suspension to offset the additional weight.

While incredibly clever, much of the software involved with the CyberTyre technology has been sourced from Pirelli’s suppliers in China.

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Bloomberg even notes there are concerns that the technology could breach U.S. law that prevents China and Russia, in particular, from “hacking or tracking vehicles using software systems” built domestically. The move was originally put in place “to safeguard America from national security risks associated with the exploitation of U.S.-connected vehicle supply chains.”

Pirelli’s Other Issues With Its Main Chinese Investor

While this is far from confirmed, the issue does create problems for Pirelli, which is looking to increase its U.S. customer base. This news also follows recent friction between Pirelli and the Chinese state-owned Sinochem, with the two parties, according to the report, having failed to establish a new shareholder structure for shareholders. Such a move does not affect Sinochem’s 37 percent stake in Pirelli, but is designed to create a financial cushion between the two parties.

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Back to the Cyber Tyre, and if the U.S. determines that the tech can’t be used here, it could be bad news for cars with features based on it.

Source: Bloomberg