Automated Tire, a robotics startup in Boston, USA, this week released an AI tire service platform called SmartBay, claiming to be able to automatically complete a complete set of processes such as tire changing, dynamic balancing and vehicle inspection without removing the wheel, and with almost no manual intervention.
For a long time, people have been more worried about AI taking away white-collar jobs, while blue-collar jobs that combine manual labor and technology are considered relatively safe. However, the emergence of SmartBay shows that this assumption is being broken: a new generation of AI robots are beginning to target manual tasks that traditionally require skilled technicians, and complete tasks in shorter time and at lower costs.
Automated Tire said that SmartBay relies on computer vision and machine learning to identify vehicle and tire status. It does not repeat fixed actions like traditional automated production lines. Instead, it can continuously learn based on past experience and perform adaptive operations for different models and working conditions. It is called the "next generation automotive service station" by company CEO Andy Chalofsky, and is specifically designed to replace various basic operations that relied on technicians in the past.
Different from the traditional process of lifting, removing the nuts, and removing the entire wheel from the frame, SmartBay showed another method in the demonstration video: after the system lifts the vehicle, it does not remove the wheel hub. Instead, it directly removes the old tire from the rim while the wheel is still fixed on the vehicle, and then installs the new tire to automate the entire tire changing process.
After completing the tire change, SmartBay will also use the company's patented Real Force Balance technology to automatically detect and correct dynamic balance. Charlovsky claims that this technology can balance and calibrate "the entire wheel end assembly including the wheel hub, tire and all rotating parts in the wheel hub cavity", thus providing the "most complete and accurate" balancing effect currently on the market.
By automating tire changing and dynamic balancing, SmartBay aims to significantly reduce reliance on manpower at service stations. One technician can man up to three SmartBay stations simultaneously, compressing tire service turnaround times and cutting overall labor costs, the company says.
In terms of efficiency, Chalofsky gave specific comparison data: It currently takes an average of about 75 minutes to complete a regular tire service manually, while SmartBay only takes about 30 minutes. Based on the number of tires, a technician can process up to 4 tires in an hour to an hour and a half at a traditional work station, but with the assistance of the SmartBay system, a technician can process up to 24 tires in the same time.
Chalofsky describes traditional tire service as "barbarian banging with a hammer in a noisy, smelly garage," and claims SmartBay offers a more modern, refined alternative to this crude process that has been used for years.
In terms of business model, Automated Tire plans to provide SmartBay to dealers, tire shops and maintenance centers on a monthly basis, with a single monthly rental price of US$4,900. The company believes that such a subscription cost is more economical than hiring multiple skilled technicians, and it also provides a path for stores with tight manpower to increase production capacity through automation.