ZF, a global technology company that supplies advanced mobility products and systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and industrial technology, and Goodyear, a global tire manufacturer for aviation, automobiles, vans, pickups, SUVs, trucks, and buses, announced today a strategic partnership that brings together advanced Fleet Management solutions, specifically for monitoring high-performance tires equipped on multi-brand commercial vehicles and highway implements. For this, ZF has made available the SCALAR EVO Pulse, a technology capable of continuously gathering data on transport operations and sending it in real-time to the Goodyear Mobility Cloud, an information portal that will operate 24/7, from where alerts will be sent to fleet managers.
“The partnership launching between ZF and Goodyear in Brazil combines the automotive and digital expertise of two of the largest companies in their sectors, generating value for fleet managers in terms of safety and profitability,” says Maurício Paguaga, Senior Manager of the Digital and Industrial Solutions Business Line at ZF Aftermarket. “ZF’s robust automotive engineering, combined with Goodyear’s extensive knowledge of the tire industry, ensures a fully integrated offering tailored to the needs of fleet customers,” adds the executive.
In addition to the TPMS – Tire Pressure Monitoring System – which monitors tire pressure in real-time, the partnership includes vehicle geolocation and odometer readings. To make this possible, TPMS sensors are installed on the vehicle, and the data is collected and transmitted by the SCALAR EVO Pulse to the monitoring service, Goodyear TPMS PLUS. Additionally, if the customer has the EBS braking system, a vast array of data, including braking alerts, stability control, total load, implement health, among others, can also be processed through ZF’s SCALAR orchestration platform.
Together, the companies tested the solution in operation, and the results showed an average 13% increase in tire mileage performance, along with other indirect benefits. Remote monitoring of tire conditions in trucks and trailers offers a range of advantages, from extending tire lifespan and preventing accidents to reducing total transport operation costs through fuel savings, consequently lowering CO2 emissions. Geolocation, in turn, will bring greater security to operations.
Market Differentiators
According to Maurício Paguaga, the solution package developed by the two companies, which will be offered by Goodyear to the market, brings several differentiators to the segment in Brazil. Starting with Goodyear’s active management, which will monitor alerts in real-time and establish contact with fleet managers whenever action is needed.
Another advantage lies in the lifespan of the components used in the solution. ZF’s sensors, for example, have a minimum lifespan of six years, as they are developed with armored material resistant to weather conditions. “ZF has over a century of automotive engineering expertise. We bring this technical and quality knowledge to our products, meaning they are designed and developed according to the rigorous demands of automotive applications,” says Maurício Paguaga.
A key differentiator is its independence from existing brands, models, and technologies in the vehicle, making it applicable to various configurations and combinations of tractors and trailers. Another benefit for fleet managers is the internal battery installed in ZF’s equipment, which allows information to continue being sent to the Goodyear Mobility Cloud portal for extended periods, even if the tractor is disconnected from the trailer.
“Goodyear conducted research in Brazil to validate the impact of technology and preventive and corrective measures on tire performance. As a result, we found an average 13% increase in mileage performance in the tires tested, along with ensuring that the tires operated at the correct pressure and temperature, positively impacting carcass preservation and, consequently, extending tire life even after retreading,” says Fernanda Baré, Senior Manager of Services & Solutions at Goodyear Brazil. “Recognizing customer needs, Goodyear and ZF developed this value proposition—Goodyear TPMS PLUS—which allows customers to achieve financial gains and other indirect benefits. Additionally, the solution reinforces our commitment to sustainability, an increasingly central theme in modern logistics operations,” concludes the executive.
