Michelin Has Started Installing Chips in Its Tires

World-famous tire manufacturer Michelin has introduced a technological innovation by embedding special RFID chips and antennas inside the rubber layers of its tires.

The chip stores key product information, including the manufacturer code, model, dimensions, and a unique serial number. In other words, each tire receives its own tamper-resistant digital passport.

The technology makes it possible to quickly and accurately identify a tire’s characteristics using a special scanner during storage, transportation, or recycling.

However, the introduction of chips in tires has raised concerns among some vehicle owners about whether their cars could be secretly tracked.

Experts from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have sought to reassure drivers on this issue.

According to them, the RFID tags embedded in the tires are completely passive and contain no battery or independent power source.

The chip only works when a nearby scanner sends out a radio signal.

Without a dedicated reader, the chip is physically unable to transmit a signal on its own.