On September 17th , 2020, Marubeni Corporation (hereinafter,"Marubeni") entered into a business alliance agreement with Tyrata, Inc. (hereinafter,"Tyrata"), a U.S.-based developer of an autonomous tire tread wear measurement systems. The business alliance agreement will introduce Tyrata’s automated tire tread wear measurement equipment and services to Japanese market. Marubeni is currently making progress on demonstration tests for the domestic deployment of services related to the measurement equipment, with a goal to offer subscription service within two years.

With the exception of sudden accidents, the main cause of tire trouble is a decrease in air pressure, leading to wear and tear. While a large number of services are provided to monitor air pressure, the technology to automatically measure tread wear on a tire is difficult because the rubber of the tire is an insulator. Therefore, there is not yet a general service for detecting wear to tires. As automotive IoT accelerates in anticipation of automated driving becomes mainstream, maintenance automation is becoming increasingly necessary. As such, we believe that demand for automated, real-time measurement of tire wear will further increase in the future.

Tyrata was founded in 2017 as a technology spin-off from Duke University in the U.S. and has developed a proprietary sensor and algorithm that directly measures tire wear in real time. In addition to conventional tire sales, Marubeni is also seeking out new business in this sector. This business alliance with Tyrata, which has its own proprietary techniques, is a result of Marubeni’s mission to develop new businesses.

Marubeni will introduce this equipment to Japan and, through demonstration tests with logistics companies, proceed with verification of demand for automatic tire wear measurement, improvement of driver safety, and reduction of tire maintenance costs. We plan to conclude an exclusive distributor contract with Tyrata when we begin domestic expansion after verification. As partners, Marubeni and Tyrata will utilize each other's knowledge to promote the use of automated wear measurement equipment for tires, thereby contributing to the realization of a safe and smart society.

<Tyrata Corporate Profile>
Company Name	:	Tyrata, Inc.
Head Office	:	North Carolina, USA
Incorporation	:	Sep. 2017
CEO	:	Jesko von Windheim
Businesses	:	Development of automatic tire wear measurement technology and equipment
Website	:	https://tyrata.com/