SmartBay AI Robot Handles Tire Swaps Without Removing Wheels from the Car
SMRTR summary
A robot that changes your tires while they're still bolted to your car sounds like science fiction. But a Boston company called Automated Tire Inc. has built exactly that.
Their machine, SmartBay, fits inside a standard service bay and handles the entire tire change process without removing the wheel. It breaks the bead, peels off the old tire, mounts the new one, and then balances the complete wheel assembly, brakes and suspension included. Built-in cameras scan for problems and report directly to the shop computer.
The numbers are striking. One technician monitoring multiple SmartBays can process 24 tires in the time it once took to change just four.
At roughly $4,900 a month to lease, the company says that's less than the true cost of a dedicated tire technician, once you factor in turnover and sick days.
Electric vehicle owners, whose heavier cars burn through tires faster, may notice the difference most.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to TechEBlog.
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