Autonomous trucking innovator PlusAI has unveiled a new partnership with tire industry leader Goodyear, aiming to push the boundaries of safety, performance, and cost efficiency in driverless freight transport. The collaboration centers around integrating Goodyear’s SightLine intelligent tire technology into PlusAI’s flagship SuperDrive autonomous driving system.
Goodyear’s SightLine suite leverages advanced sensors to monitor the tire-road interface in real time, providing a continuous stream of data on critical factors such as tire health, surface conditions, and available traction. By combining this tire intelligence with SuperDrive’s autonomous capabilities, the two companies plan to deliver trucks that are not only smarter but also more reliable across a variety of operating environments.
SightLine’s real-time insights could give autonomous trucks an extra layer of awareness, enabling the SuperDrive system to make more informed decisions when it comes to handling different terrains, weather conditions, and load types. This capability is expected to help fleet operators extend tire life, reduce unexpected downtime, and optimize fuel efficiency—key factors for cutting operational costs in the freight industry.Shawn Kerrigan, COO and co-founder of PlusAI, emphasized that this partnership reflects the company’s approach to innovation. “Our leadership in autonomous trucking is built on innovative technology, deep collaborations, and rigorous validation,” Kerrigan said. “Working with Goodyear and leveraging their SightLine technology provides us with another valuable layer of data to improve SuperDrive’s real-world performance as we prepare for the commercial launch of factory-built autonomous trucks.”
The move comes as PlusAI is gearing up for broader deployment of its fully autonomous trucks, which are designed to operate without a human driver onboard. By integrating Goodyear’s tire intelligence directly into factory-built models, the companies aim to ensure that vehicle performance and safety are considered at the very foundation of truck design.From Goodyear’s perspective, this collaboration is about more than adding sensors to tires—it’s about redefining what autonomous trucks can achieve. Chris Helsel, Goodyear’s senior vice president and chief technical officer, described the partnership as a milestone in merging tire technology with autonomous vehicle systems.
“By embedding our cutting-edge SightLine technology into factory-built autonomous trucks equipped with SuperDrive, we’re enhancing performance, safety, and operational efficiency from the ground up,” Helsel said. “This is a step toward creating autonomous freight solutions that not only meet but exceed the demands of the road.”
As the trucking industry moves toward greater automation, partnerships like this highlight the importance of combining expertise from different domains. For PlusAI, that means refining its autonomous driving algorithms with richer, tire-level data. For Goodyear, it means expanding the role of tire intelligence in next-generation transportation.
The outcome could be a new standard for autonomous freight—vehicles that aren’t just capable of self-driving but are also equipped to adapt to road conditions with a level of precision and foresight that boosts both safety and efficiency.
