In the digital age of trucking, tracking tires using some form of technology is becoming closer to reality. Tire manufacturers have been experimenting with using radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to track a tire throughout its life for inventory, service and warranty purposes. Fortunately, steps have been taken to help ensure that the industry collectively agrees to use a common programming language and protocol for RFID tags so fleets, service providers and retreaders will not need multiple readers to accommodate different manufacturers.

It appears that the possibility of passive radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags in truck tires may become reality in the near future. This technology will allow tire manufacturers to electronically establish each tire’s “birth record” for inventory, service life and warranty purposes. As an added bonus, the tags should have extra memory storage to accommodate in-life programming after the tire is put into service. While most fleets would unanimously agree that RFID tags are a good thing, they would also agree that the perceived benefits still do not outweigh any cost so it cannot be added to the price of the tire.

This “include it at no extra cost” attitude has made it tough on the companies that manufacture truck tires. There are basically three ways that a tire manufacturer can attach an RFID tag to a tire: Build it into a patch and install it on the innerliner or outer sidewall; glue it directly to the innerliner; or cure it into the tire during the manufacturing process. The first two approaches are extremely labor-intensive so the added costs make them an unlikely long-term solution. Building the tag into the tire seems like the most obvious choice, but fleets would be amazed at how complicated the curing process is for a truck tire and how the addition of a small RFID tag and antenna can lead to big problems down the road if not done properly.

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