As well as detecting damage as it happens, the system also identifies where the damage has happened, which gives road authorities the heads up on potholes and other hazards. And in the future, it could be a useful addition to autonomous vehicle technology, allowing vehicles to share information about nearby road hazards. This kind of hazard-alert system has been floated before — Jaguar Land Rover hypothesized a similar initiative a while back — but Bridgestone and Microsoft’s endeavor marks the first roll-out of its kind.
According to Bridgestone, tire damage contributes to 30 percent of all car accidents caused by technical failure, so the TDMS could have a significant impact on road safety. Indeed, a study published by Consumer Reports just this week confirms that road deaths could be cut by as much as half if more safety technology was made standard.