Chicago-based Koala Technologies (KTL), a leading automotive testing, measurement and evaluation tools provider, has launched Te.Sense Bloom – a breakthrough in non-destructive rapid tyre deflation testing. The company has introduced the base kits starting at USD 20,000.

The solution the company claims is fully compliant with FMVSS 110 and emerging EV stability test standards. The Te.Sense Bloom allows passenger vehicle manufacturers and tyre makers to cost-effectively reuse solutions, thereby optimising test programmes while reducing waste.

Currently, the rapid tyre deflation tests often rely on a vehicle being driven over special roadway cleats at defined speeds. This method sees tyres destructively punctured and destroyed by the cleats, and internal inflation pressure is quickly reduced to atmospheric pressure. At times, these tests aim to ensure that the tyres are safely seated on the wheels post rapid deflation, wile at times it is to evaluate vehicle stability in terms of tyre failure.

The company stated that this tests however require destroying multiple tyres, not only leading to waste but may also corrupt certain vehicle dynamics tests that call for a single, targeted tyre failure.

On the other hand, with Te.Sense Bloom, the industry can use non-destructive controlled, rapid deflation for the selected tyres. Using a controllable central air ejector valve with a volume and a flow capacity that simulates a sudden tyre press loss. While the method sounds simple and frugal, the innovation lies in relation with the turn-key nature of Te.Sense Bloom. Automotive testers and engineers get a repeatable set up method, easy in-car operation and simple connectivity with data acquisition systems. As part of its comprehensive supply to Te.Sense Bloom customers, KTL even offers a wheel setup service to simplify test preparations.

The other advantage of Te.Sense Bloom is that the tyre deflation event can be triggered from inside the vehicle or remotely that further expands test scenario possibilities. It can be used for testing tyre inflation pressures up to 100 PSI and speeds up to 140 kmph (87 mph). The real-time tyre inflation data at 100 Hz has a claimed data accuracy of +/-0.1 PSI.  

Kenneth Martin, Head of Tyre Testing at the Transportation Research Center, said, “We have significant experience with rapid tyre deflation tests, using all types of methods, and we’re looking forward to evaluating KTL’s Te.Sense Bloom, since it represents a turn-key, non-destructive solution. There’s definitely some baseline justification for test equipment like this because it fundamentally means consuming fewer tyres. But Te.Sense Bloom’s inherent connectivity opens some other doors also, since triggered and monitored rapid tyre deflations are becoming an area of interest for vehicle stability testing, especially in EV space.” 

The first U.S.-specification kit has been delivered to the Transportation Research Center in Ohio for initial evaluations.

Being compliant with EV stability testing standards the Te.Sense Bloom is already being used by OEMs globally such as Huawei AITO, SAIC Motor Corp and GAC Motor to conduct regulatory tests such as GB/T 38796-2020 (Performance Requirements and Test Methods of Automobile Blow-out Emergency Safety Device).

Mike Lee, Founder and President, KTL, added, “Koala Technologies is excited to introduce Te.Sense Bloom into new markets, beginning in 2025. Bloom has been widely adopted for vehicle development testing in China over the last several years, becoming a must-have tool for many OEMs and key suppliers. It’s one example, among many, of an excellent, trusted, useful automotive testing device that no one knows about outside China. A part of our mission at KTL is to shine a light on some of these exciting technologies that are currently available, but not widely known. Another part of our mission is to help customers achieve their goals more efficiently and at a lower cost. We look forward to the upcoming testing at the Transportation Research Center in Ohio, and we hope that Te.Sense Bloom proves to be a good fit for automotive development programmes in the U.S and beyond.”

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Vaculug has released VMS Pro Max, the next generation of its fleet management application. The product, developed over a three-year period, pairs a redesigned interface with AI-enhanced software intended to make commercial fleet management faster and more intelligent. The app is now available for download through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

The upgraded platform offers clear, real-time access to tyre and vehicle data, accelerates background report uploads to reduce driver time and allows measuring tools to be connected for automatic tread depth capture. It also incorporates an embedded VAN Driver Guide and can instantly flag vehicles left uninspected across 30, 60 or 90 days. Existing users must sync all pending inspections and confirm cloud upload before updating to prevent data loss.

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The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. and dotData, Inc. have announced joint development an AI agent to help engineers form hypotheses, interpret findings and make decisions in manufacturing R&D. Before full deployment, the initiative will validate the agent's required capabilities and technical feasibility.

The solution combines technical documents such as design specifications and experimental reports with engineers' accumulated expertise and features extracted from measurement data via dotData's Signal Intelligence technology. It will provide insights tailored to each project's objectives, circumstances and constraints.

The agent is not meant to produce a single correct answer. Operating in a human-in-the-loop framework where engineers retain decision-making authority, it will present multiple possibilities, perspectives and risks to broaden thinking and support professional development.

Manufacturing R&D generates diverse data through experiments, simulations, production and evaluation. Developing hypotheses requires specialised knowledge and context. Since new technology R&D rarely has one predetermined answer, abductive reasoning plays a key role. AI can add value by using data and organisational knowledge to widen engineers' perspectives rather than replace judgment.

The agent will explore measurement and experimental data patterns beyond factors engineers previously identified, combining quantitative insights with design documents and expert knowledge to reveal difficult-to-spot relationships. It will offer input from materials, design, analysis, production and evaluation perspectives, challenge existing hypotheses and raise questions about alternative interpretations and conditions. Engineers will then test hypotheses and feed results back into further dialogue, guiding Signal Intelligence processes so non-specialists can explore data features as needed.

Yokohama Rubber has advanced HAICoLab since 2020, using dotData as a foundational technology in tyre design and rubber mixing. This joint development expands those efforts, with engineers interpreting and evaluating the agent's suggestions using their own expertise rather than accepting them unquestioningly. The companies aim to transform R&D processes while strengthening engineers' creativity and judgment, establishing a new model for human-AI collaboration in manufacturing R&D.

Motoji Fujita, Head of Research & Advanced Development Division, The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., said, “Since 2020, we have conducted research and development under the HAICoLab framework, drawing on the complementary strengths of people and AI to create a collaborative environment. We believe AI agents will give engineers access to perspectives beyond their own experience and enable them to evaluate hypotheses from multiple angles. Through this development initiative, we aim to advance our R&D capabilities while supporting the continued growth of our engineers.”

Ryohei Fujimaki, CEO, dotData, Inc., said, “Success in manufacturing R&D depends heavily on an organisation’s ability to connect its proprietary data and knowledge with AI. The quantitative context generated from data through automated Signal Intelligence provides a foundation for AI agents to engage engineers in practical, data-driven discussions. Together with Yokohama Rubber, which has many years of experience in advanced data utilisation, we intend to establish standards for using AI in highly specialised business domains.”

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Bridgestone Aircraft Tire (Europe), a Bridgestone Corporation subsidiary, has announced the deployment of its ‘easytrack’ tyre management system at SR Technics Spain SAU, the tyre and wheel maintenance hub of global maintenance, repair & overhaul (MRO) provider SR Technics. The scalable digital platform is accessible on desktop and mobile devices.

Designed for airlines and MROs, ‘easytrack’ manages inbound and outbound tyre and wheel flows across single- or multi-site operations. It delivers real-time identification, tracking and documentation throughout each asset’s lifecycle. The project follows the solution’s first airline implementation in 2025, becoming its second customer rollout and first MRO application.

MRO providers handle large tyre and wheel volumes for multiple airlines, complicating operations. ‘easytrack’ simplifies asset management and improves traceability, accuracy, safety and productivity. At SR Technics Spain SAU, it digitalised paper-based processes, cutting processing time by 45 percent, reducing data-entry and identification errors and improving flow management across Palma de Mallorca and Madrid.

From left: David Sautois, ‘easytrack’ Product Manager, Bridgestone Aircraft Tire (Europe) S.A.; Antonio Colella, General Manager, SR Technics Spain SAU; Jean-Philippe Minet, Managing Director, Bridgestone Aircraft Tire (Europe) S.A.; Eugenie Baradzina, Commercial Director, SR Technics Spain SAU.

The results stem from a Bridgestone and SR Technics Spain SAU co-creation initiative built on long-standing partnership. ‘easytrack’ was adapted to support tyre and wheel combinations for the hub’s wheel and brake operations. Bridgestone’s expansion of airline and MRO solutions aligns with its E8 Commitment, emphasising efficiency and ecology.

Antonio Colella, General Manager, SR Technics Spain SAU, said, "The successful implementation of easytrack is a significant achievement for SR Technics Spain SAU and our teams in Mallorca and Madrid. From the very beginning, the collaboration with Bridgestone was built on trust, openness and a shared vision for innovation. Together, we have developed a solution that not only improves efficiency and traceability but also creates lasting value for our operations. We are proud to be the first MRO in the world to adopt this technology and look forward to continuing this journey with Bridgestone Corporation.”

Jean-Philippe Minet, Managing Director, Bridgestone Aircraft Tire Europe, said, “I’d like to thank SR Technics for their trust and another fruitful collaboration with Bridgestone. What the teams have jointly achieved is remarkable: co-creating through efficient teamwork and customising the Bridgestone easytrack application to digitise SR Technics tyre and wheel tracking operations. This is a brilliant example of how Bridgestone amplifies the value created at our partners.”

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Michelin Connected Fleet, a subsidiary of Michelin North America, has entered into a collaboration with Doran to integrate the latter’s tyre pressure monitoring hardware with its own Smart Predictive Tire solution. This combined offering is now accessible through the Platform Science Virtual Vehicle Marketplace, marking the first retail platform to host the integrated system.

The partnership merges Doran’s commercial tyre pressure and temperature monitors with Michelin’s predictive analytics software, creating a unified tyre management ecosystem. By fusing real-time sensor data with connected vehicle intelligence, the solution aims to enhance fleet visibility into tyre health, thereby enabling more informed maintenance scheduling and operational strategy. This development follows Michelin Connected Fleet’s recent launch of Smart Predictive Tire on the same marketplace, now broadening access to a fully bundled hardware-software package.

Utilising advanced data analytics, Smart Predictive Tire identifies emerging tyre issues through pressure and temperature readings, allowing fleets to pre-empt costly roadside failures and minimise unplanned downtime. Doran’s sensors supply the critical digital inputs that feed this predictive model, delivering comprehensive tyre oversight. The joint effort underscores both companies’ dedication to progressing connected fleet capabilities via synergistic hardware, software and data integration.

Willem Moore, President, Michelin Connected Fleet, said, "Doran provides the signal, and our Michelin Smart Leak algorithm helps translate tyre data into actionable insights that support informed maintenance decisions. By providing visibility into potential tyre conditions, fleets can evaluate issues sooner and take appropriate action based on their operational needs. Our focus is on delivering information that helps fleets manage their tyre assets more effectively and helps to support safe, efficient operations.”

Jim Samocki, President, Doran, said, “Fleets do not just need more data. They need accurate and reliable information that they can trust to reduce tyre-related repair and maintenance costs, improve uptime and keep vehicles operating safely. By combining Doran’s proven TPMS technology with Michelin’s Smart Predictive Tire solution, fleets can move beyond simply reacting to tyre issues and take a more proactive approach to tyre maintenance.”

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