Pirelli to start producing "smart" tires in the US
Pirelli announced that it will start production of "smart" tires Cyber Tyre at a plant in Georgia, USA, which already specializes in the production of high-tech products for the American market, designed for both ordinary drivers and auto sports, the company reported.
Earlier, there were concerns that "smart" tires, capable of collecting and transmitting data in real-time, would fall under Washington's restrictions on the use of Chinese technologies in the automotive sector, while the largest shareholder of Pirelli is the Sinochem holding, controlled by the Chinese government. Not so long ago, the Italian authorities restricted the influence of the Chinese investor on the management of Pirelli, and, according to analysts from Citi, quoted by Reuters, the launch of Cyber Tyre production in Georgia indicates that the US Department of Commerce is now "more calm about Pirelli's investments in the US and the production of this technologically advanced product".
Reuters adds that in the US, the popularity of "smart" digitalized cars is growing rapidly, and Pirelli considers this market as a key one for its most technological products. At the moment, although the US accounts for more than 20% of Pirelli's total revenue, the plant in Georgia, the company's only production site in the country, covers only 5% of the demand for Pirelli tires in the US.
"The launch of Cyber Tyre production at our plant in Rome, Georgia, is an important event for Pirelli," said Claudio Zanardo, CEO of Pirelli North America, adding that the use of such advanced technologies "will further expand our industrial presence and strengthen our innovative potential in the US".
The plant in Rome is also completing the implementation of the latest version of the modular production system MIRS (Modular Integrated Robotized System), which will be the most advanced for the company and will be exclusively used at the American enterprise. As noted in Pirelli, the new technologies increase the capabilities of robotic production, increasing its efficiency and flexibility, as well as product quality.
The company adds that the implementation of MIRS will allow the plant to increase its capacity in the future, which "is an integral part of the company's development strategy", aimed at strengthening its position in the US, which the tire manufacturer calls one of its most important markets, having strategic importance.
Not so long ago, Pirelli announced that it will complement the "smart" tire system with computer vision technologies based on AI, developed by the Swedish startup Univrses, in which the company acquired a 30% stake.