Sumitomo Rubber Industries, the maker of Falken Tires, has revealed groundbreaking technology capable of detecting loose lug nuts, set to make its debut on a production vehicle later this year. Named Sensing Core, this innovative feature is designed to identify lug nuts that are loose by as little as one millimeter, all without the need for dedicated sensors.
Instead, Sensing Core harnesses data from a vehicle’s controlled area network (CAN), meticulously analyzing wheel speed and various other factors. Scheduled to be introduced as standard equipment on a vehicle from an undisclosed automaker in 2024, Sumitomo Rubber Industries also revealed ongoing discussions with additional automakers regarding the adoption of this pioneering technology.
However, specifics about the market where the loose-nut detection feature will first appear remain undisclosed, leaving uncertainty about its availability in the U.S.
Sumitomo emphasized that accidents caused by loose lug nuts are a growing concern in their native market of Japan, particularly as drivers transition to winter tires during colder months.
While commercial vehicles may utilize clips for visual confirmation of properly tightened nuts, this method is not infallible, especially in passenger cars where such measures are often absent. What sets Sensing Core apart is its independence from tire make, model, and size, allowing seamless integration with various vehicle and tire combinations.
Moreover, Sumitomo envisions broader applications for this technology, including tire-wear monitoring. By transmitting vehicle data to the cloud, tire wear can be predicted based on usage, an advancement that Sumitomo aims to achieve through collaboration with vehicle analytics software company Viaduct, as announced during the 2024 CES.
