Abstract: A method for estimating a grip of a tire supporting a vehicle includes generating a first set of data from a tire-mounted sensor unit, generating a second set of data from the tire-mounted sensor unit and from data obtained from the vehicle, and generating a third set of data from data obtained from the vehicle and from the Internet. A grip estimation module is provided. The first, second and third sets of data are received in the grip estimation module. A friction probability distribution is calculated with the grip estimation module using the first, second and third sets of data, and the friction probability distribution is input into at least one vehicle system.

Abstract: A method for estimating a grip of a tire supporting a vehicle includes generating a first set of data from a tire-mounted sensor unit, generating a second set of data from the tire-mounted sensor unit and from data obtained from the vehicle, and generating a third set of data from data obtained from the vehicle and from the Internet. A grip estimation module is provided. The first, second and third sets of data are received in the grip estimation module. A friction probability distribution is calculated with the grip estimation module using the first, second and third sets of data, and the friction probability distribution is input into at least one vehicle system.

Abstract: A brake pressure sensor for determination of braking efficiency includes a body that in turn includes a first half and a second half. The first half of the body includes a semi-circular recess formed on an inner surface, and the second half of the body includes a semi-circular recess formed on an inner surface. A circular opening is formed by alignment of the first body half recess with the second body half recess. The body engages an exterior of a hose of a brake unit of an anti-lock braking system by receiving the hose in the circular opening, and a strain gauge is attached to an outer surface of the first half of the body. As the anti-lock braking system is actuated and a pressure inside the hose increases, a diameter of the hose increases, creating increased strain in the body that is measured by the strain gauge.

Abstract: A tire tread includes a middle rib formed by two circumferential main grooves extending along a tire circumferential direction, a first shoulder rib disposed axially outward from the center rib and one of the circumferential main grooves, and a second shoulder rib disposed axially outward from the center rib and the other of the two circumferential main grooves. The middle rib has a plurality of sipes inclined oppositely with respect to a tire rotational direction such that the sipes extend farther away from a rotational axis of the tire tread as the sipes extend in the tire rotational direction. The middle rib thereby defines a row of circumferentially extending tread elements having chamfers at trailing edges of the tread elements.