FMCSA awards Auburn $1.9M to test RFID tire sensors for pre-trip checks

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration awarded a $1.9 million grant in February 2026 to Auburn University's Transportation Research Institute to test whether radio frequency identification tags embedded in commercial truck tires can detect dangerous underinflation and temperature conditions before a blowout occurs. The three-year study will evaluate battery-free RFID sensors in three real-world scenarios: parked pre-trip inspections, fixed-reader checkpoints at depot exits and weigh stations, and continuous in-motion monitoring.

What tire conditions will the RFID sensors measure during the Auburn study?

AUTRI researchers will test whether RFID tags placed inside truck tires can consistently measure inflation pressure, load, speed, and temperature under operating conditions. The sensors are battery-free, meaning they draw power from the RFID reader's radio signal rather than an onboard power source. The study aims to determine if the technology can identify unsafe tire conditions early enough for drivers or fleet managers to take corrective action before a tire fails.

Why FMCSA funded the tire-sensor study

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data show heavy commercial trucks are involved in approximately 13 percent of all fatal crashes on U.S. roads, despite representing only about 5 percent of all registered vehicles. Federal studies found tire-related problems contributed to about 6 percent of all truck crashes involving vehicle component failures. Tire inflation pressure maintenance has been an integral part of pre-trip and post-trip inspection criteria for decades, yet underinflation remains a persistent problem in commercial vehicle operations.

Automatic tire inflation systems are commercially available but only feasible on trailers. Tire pressure monitoring systems face obstacles that have prevented widespread adoption. The FMCSA grant reflects the agency's recognition that technology may be required to bypass human-factor shortfalls in tire inspection compliance.

Three use cases Auburn will test

The first use case tests whether RFID tags can measure inflation pressure while the truck is parked. This would make pre-trip and post-trip inspections and roadside pressure checks easier and more likely to occur. AUTRI will develop a handheld electronic reader for this scenario, though the study does not address whether the reader could be incorporated into a smartphone app or what the cost to fleets would be.

The second use case tests whether RFID tags can capture tire data as trucks pass fixed readers. Fleets could position equipment at depot exits to read tire pressures as vehicles depart. AUTRI will also test this capability at higher speeds so it can be used at inspection stations. Vehicle enforcement officials could check tire pressures without stopping the vehicles and only target drivers with underinflated tires.

The third use case tests whether continuous monitoring can identify early warning signs during operation. RFID sensors inside the tires would track changes in tire conditions over time, so drivers or fleet managers can be alerted before a tire fails. By measuring and tracking changes in load, speed, and temperature, fleets could identify tires in need of service or replacement.

What the study does not address

The FMCSA grant does not cover cost analysis or implementation planning. Incorporating RFID sensors will be reflected in the tire's price and will create additional expenses for the equipment needed to read them. Truck tire manufacturers have already figured out how to embed RFID tags to identify the tire, but an RFID tag that can read inflation pressure must somehow access the air chamber, which presents a different engineering challenge.

The study also does not address whether the sensors can withstand the conditions of the retread process. Retreading is standard practice in commercial trucking, and any sensor technology that cannot survive the retread process would face adoption barriers.

"This work is about reducing uncertainty. If we can help identify technology that improves how tire risks are detected and managed, even incrementally, the potential safety benefits could extend well beyond the trucking industry to include school buses and passenger vehicles," according to Laurence Rilett, director of AUTRI and the project's principal investigator.

What this means for pre-trip inspection requirements

The RFID study does not change current pre-trip inspection requirements. Drivers are still required to check tire inflation pressure during pre-trip and post-trip inspections under 49 CFR 396.13. The FMCSA grant funds research into whether technology can improve compliance with existing inspection requirements, not replace them.

If the Auburn study demonstrates that RFID sensors can reliably detect underinflation, FMCSA could eventually incorporate the technology into inspection protocols or CSA scoring. That rulemaking process would take years and would require notice-and-comment under the Administrative Procedure Act. The study itself does not create any new compliance obligations for carriers.

What small fleets should watch

Small fleets should monitor whether the Auburn study produces a viable handheld reader that works with existing smartphones. If RFID tire sensors reach commercial availability and the reader cost is low enough, the technology could reduce the time required for pre-trip inspections and lower the risk of roadside violations for underinflated tires. Underinflation violations carry CSA points under the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC.

Fleets should also watch whether tire manufacturers begin embedding RFID sensors as standard equipment. If sensors become standard, the cost will be built into the tire price, and fleets will need to budget for the reader equipment. If sensors remain optional, fleets will need to weigh the cost of RFID-equipped tires against the cost of underinflation violations and the risk of tire-related crashes.

The study is expected to run through 2029. FMCSA has not announced plans to mandate RFID tire sensors, and no docket number has been assigned to any related rulemaking.