Comrade Major Now Rides Inside Your Tire: Pirelli’s Smart Tech Faces US Ban

If you thought the only security threats came from smartphones and snooping apps, welcome to the next level of paranoia. In the United States, Pirelli’s smart tires — yes, the black, rubbery round things beneath your car — are now under threat of a ban. Known as CyberTyre, these intelligent wheels may soon be deemed too informed to freely roll across American roads.

Bloomberg obtained a letter from the US Department of Commerce warning automakers that using these tires will require a special permit. Why? Because a tire capable of interacting with autopilot systems and aiding in emergency braking might also be collecting data. And with Pirelli’s largest shareholder, Chinese chemical giant Sinochem, holding a 37 percent stake, the US is unwilling to take any chances — even if that tire is mounted on a Ferrari or Bentley.

Pirelli has offered no public comment, but nerves are already fraying in Italy. Around a quarter of Pirelli’s sales come from the US market, so the stakes are high. CEO Andrea Casaluci admits the situation is tense, as Sinochem refuses to step back from decision-making, while Pirelli tries hard to present itself as an autonomous, trustworthy player. Internal tensions within the company are only growing.

Should the ban take effect, it would mark the first major precedent under new US legislation limiting Chinese and Russian electronics in vehicles. For Pirelli, it could mean watching its technological future and market ambitions skid into a muddy ditch — all thanks to a smart tire that knew a little too much.