A motor vehicle includes a rear bumper and a microphone. The rear bumper includes an internal cavity that is open towards a front portion of the vehicle. The microphone includes a sound pickup component arranged to acquire a sound signal generated by at least one tire of the vehicle, each of which includes at least one audible wear indicator. The sound pickup component of the microphone is attached to a wall of the rear bumper, and is positioned at a transverse level located between rear tires of the vehicle, preferably in the internal cavity.

A method for measuring the depth of tread in a vehicle tire includes measuring acceleration signals from a tire module arranged on the inner side of the tire. A minimum acceleration value is then determined during rotation of the vehicle tire and at a constant traveling speed whereafter the maximum internal radius of the inner side of the tire is determined in the center of a ground contact area of the vehicle tire. The depth of tread of the vehicle tire is determined with signal processing whereafter the determined depth of tread is transmitted to a receiving unit in the vehicle.

A fuel dispensing installation employs multiple fuel islands with fuel dispensers and multiple fuel/travel lanes. The installation employs a communication/controller system for automatically identifying a vehicle, and upon authorizing the vehicle, allowing fuel to be dispensed to said vehicle, determining the quantity of fuel dispensed to the vehicle and securing the dispenser when the vehicle leaves a detection zone. The detection system employs RFID tags placed at both the driver side and the passenger side of the vehicle. Generally oppositely oriented antennas define a detection zone for each of the lanes. A light indicates whether the vehicle is authorized for receiving fuel.

An arithmetic model generation system includes a tire information acquisition unit, a position information acquisition unit, a wear amount calculator, and an arithmetic model update unit. The tire information acquisition unit acquires tire data including a temperature and pressure of a tire. The position information acquisition unit acquires position data for a vehicle on which the tire is mounted. The wear amount calculator includes an arithmetic model that generates an estimated wear amount of at least one groove of the tire, the wear amount calculator calculating the estimated wear amount of at least one groove of the tire by using the arithmetic model by inputting the tire data and the position data. The arithmetic model update unit updates the arithmetic model based on a wear amount measured by a tire measurement device external to the vehicle and the estimated wear amount.

A tire with a treads depth measuring device that includes a first electrode and a second electrode that are fixed to internal surface of the tire, and an oscillator that is electrically connected to the electrodes so that capacitance between the electrodes affects frequencies of the oscillator. Changes in frequencies of the oscillator can be used to detect and calculate changes in thickness of the tire and changes in depth of treads in the tire.

A rib-like land section partitioned by main grooves, a plurality of sub-grooves provided in the rib-like land section at intervals in the tire circumferential direction and a groove hole provided between the sub-grooves adjacent to each other and extending in the tire circumferential direction are provided in a tread section. The sub-groove includes a lateral groove portion, in which one end opens to the main groove and the other end terminates inside the rib-like land section, and a longitudinal groove portion extending from the other end of the lateral groove portion to one side in the tire circumferential direction and terminating inside the rib-like land section. The groove hole is formed so that a groove depth at one end part close to a terminal end of the longitudinal groove portion becomes shallower than a groove depth at the other end part far from the terminal end.

A rib-like land section partitioned by main grooves, a plurality of sub-grooves provided in the rib-like land section at intervals in the tire circumferential direction and a groove hole provided between the sub-grooves adjacent to each other and extending in the tire circumferential direction are provided in a tread section. The sub-groove includes a lateral groove portion, in which one end opens to the main groove and the other end terminates inside the rib-like land section, and a longitudinal groove portion extending from the other end of the lateral groove portion to one side in the tire circumferential direction and terminating inside the rib-like land section. The groove hole is formed so that a groove depth at one end part close to a terminal end of the longitudinal groove portion becomes shallower than a groove depth at the other end part far from the terminal end.

A tire wear estimation system is provided. The system includes at least one tire that supports a vehicle. At least one sensor is affixed to the tire to generate a first predictor. A lookup table or a database stores data for a second predictor. One of the predictors includes at least one vehicle effect. A model receives the predictors and generates an estimated wear rate for the at least one tire.

A method for determining the thickness of a tire of a motor vehicle being equipped with at least a tire pressure monitoring sensor placed in contact with the internal wall of the tire facing the tread, including the following steps: at least two successive reference times are determined; at least one instant of passage of a half-deflection angle is determined; the half-deflection angle is determined; then the value of a mean external radius, which radius is estimated in a range of angular positions, is determined; a value of a mean internal radius, which radius is estimated in a range of angular positions, is determined; then the thickness of the tire being the difference between the mean external radius and the mean internal radius.

A method for determining the thickness of a tire of a motor vehicle being equipped with at least a tire pressure monitoring sensor placed in contact with the internal wall of the tire facing the tread, including the following steps: at least two successive reference times are determined; at least one instant of passage of a half-deflection angle is determined; the half-deflection angle is determined; then the value of a mean external radius, which radius is estimated in a range of angular positions, is determined; a value of a mean internal radius, which radius is estimated in a range of angular positions, is determined; then the thickness of the tire being the difference between the mean external radius and the mean internal radius.