Abstract: A tire code reader scans an automobile tire to capture an image of the tire code molded on the tire sidewall and associates it with the vehicle identification number (VIN) read by a bar code scanner also on the reader. Both tire code and VIN are uploaded to a control server and then to a cloud-based server that is programmed with optical character recognition software for reading the tire code and for accessing databases for information about that tire, such as re-call information, and the make, model and year of the automobile. The cloud-based server transmits a report back to the control server for printing a full report by a printer and to the tire code reader for display of the tire code.

Abstract: A modular, portable, drive-through tire tread wear and brake testing system including a tire tread wear analyzer and flat plate brake tester housed in an intermodal cargo shipping container. Doors open on opposing sides of the container to permit a vehicle to be driven through it and, as the vehicle passes over the floor of the modular container and the flat plate brake tester, its tires are scanned by a flush-mounted tire tread depth scanner. The scanned output, a digitized tread profile, is analyzed for tread depth, tire wear patterns from chronic under- or over-inflation, and wheel misalignment. Cameras trained on the vehicle entering the container that feed video to monitors visible to the driver plus structural components on the floor of the container help to guide the vehicle into position over the scanner. The tire and brake report is generated immediately and transmitted to the appropriate recipient.