Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is testing services aimed at minimizing operational downtime for connected vehicle fleets in a pilot program with Envoy Technologies Inc., a provider of shared on-demand, community-based electric vehicles (EV).
Goodyear is forecasting and automatically scheduling tire maintenance and replacement for Envoy Technologies. Proprietary artificial intelligence technology is being used to provide predictive maintenance.
Goodyear says Envoy’s fleet managers can see fleet status, schedule maintenance needs and update appointments with the on-demand scheduling program, helping to keep its vehicles operational and avoid the typically unforeseen issues that might suddenly force a shared vehicle to be pulled from service.
To do this, Goodyear gathers secure, anonymized data from Envoy’s connected vehicles and uses it to predict and schedule service needs. Goodyear then utilizes its network of outlets and mobile vans to provide service to the vehicles. The mobile vans can install tires on-site at their charging stations, maintaining vehicle safety with minimal time required by Envoy staff.
“With on-demand car sharing and ride hailing services on the rise, Goodyear is extending its fleet services business model to shared mobility providers to improve urban fleet operations,” says Chris Helsel, Goodyear’s chief technology officer.
Envoy provides shared, community-based electric vehicles where people live, work and stay, with a significant percentage of its fleet dedicated to deployment in disadvantaged communities. The two-year-old company recently passed a milestone of more than 100 vehicles deployed at partner sites with a pipeline of 1,800 vehicles to be launched in major metropolitan areas across the nation, including Portland, Seattle, Austin, Chicago, New York, Boston, Miami and Washington, D.C.
About Goodyear
Goodyear employs about 64,000 people, manufactures its products in 47 facilities in 21 countries and operates Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.
About Envoy Technologies
Envoy Technologies, a Culver City, Calif.-based provider of turnkey electric vehicle car-sharing services, offers vehicles where people live, work and stay (i.e. apartments, student housing, office campuses, co-working spaces, hotels). Envoy equips real estate owners and operators with a new and innovative way to enhance the lifestyle of their tenants, members and guests by providing mobility as an amenity. Learn more at www.envoythere.com.
