Prometeon Forms Partnership with Universities to Develop a Smart Tire

The Santo André Technology Park’s Open Innovation Program organized the challenge to develop a smart tire, bringing together Prometeon—a manufacturer of tires for buses, trucks, and tractors—the Mauá Institute of Technology, FEI University Center, and the Brazilian Agency for the Support and Financing of Studies and Projects (Finep), which formed a partnership to develop the solution using IoT technology.

The automotive industry is undergoing a transformation that is increasingly driven by connectivity, data, efficiency, and traceability. In this context, components that were traditionally mechanical are now incorporating sensors, artificial intelligence, and communication systems, thereby enhancing vehicles’ monitoring capabilities, safety, and performance.

Prometeon, a company based in Santo André and a member of the Santo André Technology Park ecosystem, set out to develop a tire equipped with a sensor embedded in the inner layers of the rubber.

The proposal was to create a solution capable of tracking the entire lifespan of a tire and providing detailed records of its use, generating strategic information for monitoring, traceability, maintenance, and performance.

The project, titled “Traceable Smart Products and Interoperability in the Automotive Industry Supply Chain with Application to Sensor-Equipped Tires – IoT Tire,” focused on the application of IoT technology, artificial intelligence, communication networks, and machine learning to the development of sensor-equipped tires.

To address this challenge, the project brought together Prometeon, the Mauá Institute of Technology, and FEI University Center—two educational and research institutions that are part of the Santo André Technology Park ecosystem—with support from Finep.

The project involved 36 participants, including researchers, professors, and students from the participating universities.

Professors Fernando de Almeida Martins, Alessandra Dutra Coelho, and Fábio Lima were in charge of coordinating the project.

The solution sought to integrate sensors into the inner layers of the tire, enabling the collection and recording of data throughout the tire’s service life. The use of artificial intelligence, communication networks, and machine learning has expanded the technology’s potential for analysis, traceability, and interoperability in the automotive supply chain.

The project was also well received by Prometeon’s headquarters in Italy, underscoring its technological significance and its potential for application in the automotive sector.

The contract was signed in November 2020, and the project was completed in December 2024, with an "impact" status.

The total cost of the project was R$ 3.7 million, broken down as follows:

• Finep: R$ 1.9 million
• Prometeon: R$ 150,000

Financial contribution from FEI and the Mauá Institute: remaining amount

The initiative responds to Finep’s public call for proposals from institutions to form networks in the areas of vehicle safety, environmental protection, energy efficiency, the quality of land motor vehicles, and auto parts.

Finep, a public entity affiliated with the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, is dedicated to promoting the country’s economic and social development through public support for science, technology, and innovation in companies. Its support covers various stages of the scientific and technological development cycle, including basic research, applied research, innovation, and the development of products, services, and processes.

The project reinforces the role of the Santo André Technology Park as a hub for collaboration among companies, universities, research institutions, and development agencies, linking real-world industry challenges to high-impact technological solutions.