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Thermal Imaging and Tyres: What CES Gadgets Reveal About Predictive Failure Detection

UUnknown

2026-02-14

10 min read

How portable thermal cameras and 2026 sensor tech let garages and fleets spot tyre hotspots, bead issues and underinflation before failures occur.

Spot tyre problems before they fail: why thermal imaging is becoming essential in garages and fleets

Tyre failures don’t announce themselves. They start as heat — a bead that rubs, a bearing that drags, a tyre that’s been running underinflated for weeks. Portable thermal cameras and new sensor tech from CES 2026 now let garages and fleets see those early warning signs long before a blowout or costly downtime. This article shows you exactly how to use those gadgets in practical maintenance workflows, what patterns to watch for, and how to integrate thermal data into a predictive maintenance program.

The evolution in 2026: why thermal imaging matters now

Late 2025 and early 2026 saw a clear shift in both hardware and software. Portable thermal cameras that once cost thousands are now available at fleet-friendly prices with higher resolution, lower NETD (thermal sensitivity), and onboard edge AI. Simultaneously, tyre and telematics vendors rolled out temperature-capable TPMS and tyre-mounted sensors with temperature readings that integrate with fleet telematics platforms for continuous monitoring.

At CES 2026 several trends stood out that change how garages and fleets approach tyre health:

Affordable high-resolution thermal: Uncooled microbolometer sensors at 320×240 and 640×480 are common in handheld units and smartphone attachments, giving clearer hotspot detail.
On-device anomaly detection: Edge AI classifies thermal patterns into probable causes (underinflation, brake drag, bead slip) so technicians get faster, actionable alerts.
Connected sensor ecosystems: TPMS modules and tyre-mounted sensors with temperature readings that integrate with fleet telematics platforms for continuous monitoring.
Energy-harvesting sensors: Low-power devices showcased at CES increasingly run without frequent battery swaps, improving long-term fleet economics — see similar designs in wearable energy-harvesting sensor discussions.

Industry experts at CES 2026 described this combination — high-res thermal + edge AI + connected sensors — as the tipping point for true predictive tyre maintenance.

What thermal imaging detects — and what matters for safety

Thermal imaging doesn’t replace a hands-on inspection; it amplifies it. The most valuable uses for tyres are:

Tyre hotspots: Localized temperature rises that indicate friction, bearing failure, misalignment, or brake drag.
Underinflation indicators: Heat patterns from excessive flexing — usually higher temperatures across shoulders or inner/outer edges depending on load and wear.
Bead and seating issues: Elevated temperatures around the bead show friction or intermittent slipping where the tyre meets the rim.
Uneven load/imbalance problems: One tyre on an axle running consistently hotter than its mate is a red flag.

Use thermal imaging to detect incipient failures — problems that are not yet visible as tread wear, bulges, or sidewall damage but will cause costly downtime if left unchecked.

Thermal patterns and what they usually mean

Learn the practical pattern-to-cause mapping so technicians can triage findings rapidly:

Localized hotspot at one wheel (centre or tread): Check for brake drag, stuck caliper, or bearing heat. If only one wheel is hot compared with others on the same axle, suspect a mechanical drag.
Uniformly hotter tyre across shoulders: Classic sign of underinflation causing extra flex and heat buildup.
Hot bead or rim edge: Bead seating problems, slippage, or excessive friction during rotation. This can precede a slow air leak or sudden bead failure.
Elevated sidewall temperatures: Excessive sidewall flex or early belt separation — treat as urgent and remove tyre from service if severe.
Progressive temp rise over days: Early sign of progressive damage such as internal delamination or structural weakness.

Practical workflows: how garages and fleets should use portable thermal cameras

Here’s a step-by-step protocol you can adopt this week. It’s designed for both a busy garage and a fleet depot doing daily checks.

Garage walkaround (pre-service)

Start with a cold baseline: capture thermal images of all tyres after the vehicle has been parked overnight (cold tyres give consistent baseline emissivity readings).
Run a short standardized drive (e.g., 10–15 minutes at a steady speed) and re-image immediately on arrival to reveal hotspots caused by running conditions.
Use the camera’s comparative tool to map temperature differences across the axle. Flag tyres >8–12°C hotter than the axle mate for follow-up (consult your tyre maker for exact thresholds).
Inspect flagged tyres visually, check pressures with a calibrated gauge, spin the wheel (off vehicle when necessary) to inspect brakes/bearings, and document findings.
Store annotated thermal images in the vehicle’s service record for trend analysis.

Fleet depot routine (fast daily checks)

Morning quick-scan: technicians use portable cameras or smartphone attachments to capture a thermal snapshot while drivers are doing pre-trip checks.
Automated triage: edge AI or the mobile app flags vehicles with abnormal deltas and generates work orders automatically.
Deeper inspection for flagged units: measure TPMS temp/pressure telemetry, perform mechanical checks, and, if required, rotate or replace the tyre before dispatch.
Weekly trend reporting: upload images and telemetry to your fleet management platform to detect progressive heat increases and predict replacement windows.

Integrating thermal data with existing fleet systems

Thermal imaging is most powerful when coupled with telematics and TPMS. Here’s how to integrate and get predictive value:

Sync timestamps: Ensure thermal images and telematics events (ignition on/off, speed, ambient temperature) share accurate timestamps for correlation.
Combine temperature + pressure: Use tyre temperature trends with TPMS pressure data — persistent underinflation plus rising temps equals high-priority replacement.
Feed into predictive models: Export images and telemetry into a maintenance analytics system (or cloud ML service) to build vehicle-specific models for replacement timing.
Automate alerts: Set business rules (e.g., temp delta >10°C + underinflation) to auto-create maintenance tickets and route to nearest fitment centre.

Choosing the right thermal camera or sensor: a practical buying guide

At CES 2026 the market split into two practical camps: handheld thermal cameras with strong software and tyre-mounted / wheel-mounted temperature sensors. Choose the right tool based on workflow.

For garages: handheld thermal cameras

Resolution: Aim for 320×240 or better; 640×480 is ideal for detailed bead/shoulder examination.
NETD (thermal sensitivity): Lower is better — below 50 mK gives finer temperature gradations.
Connectivity: Wi‑Fi or BLE to transfer images to your CMMS or smartphone app.
On-device analysis: Look for edge AI features that suggest likely causes and let you annotate images.
Ruggedness and battery life: IP-rated housing and a full-day battery for depot use.

For fleets: tyre-mounted sensors + integrated TPMS

Temperature reporting: Sensors should report surface or internal tyre temperature and pair with pressure data.
Connectivity: BLE for short-range, or cellular/NB-IoT for continuous remote monitoring in long-haul fleets.
Power strategy: Battery life >3 years or energy-harvesting designs to reduce maintenance overhead.
Cloud integration: Out-of-the-box integration with major fleet management platforms is a huge time-saver.

Practical limitations and how to avoid false positives

Thermal imaging is powerful but not infallible. Common pitfalls and mitigation strategies:

Emissivity and reflections: Shiny rims and wet surfaces can skew readings. Use emissivity correction in the camera or mask reflective areas during analysis.
Ambient temperature effects: Large ambient swings change absolute temps. Always compare against axle mates and use baselines.
Distance and angle: Measurement accuracy drops with distance and oblique angles. Standardize capture distance (e.g., 1–2 metres perpendicular to tyre).
Sensor calibration: Calibrate cameras periodically and validate with a handheld contact thermometer if in doubt — consider portable test and network kits like those in recent field reviews (portable COMM testers).
Hype vs reality: Some CES gadgets promise simple “one-scan fixes.” Use thermal imaging as part of a protocol, not a single decision-maker.

Sample ROI approach: justify the investment for a small fleet

Don’t buy tech on novelty — calculate the ROI. Use this simple framework:

Estimate current tyre-related downtime cost per year (lost delivery hours × hourly cost).
Estimate annual tyre replacement and unscheduled repair costs.
Model expected reduction in incidents using pilot data or industry case studies (conservative estimate 10–25% reduction is reasonable for early programs).
Compare to total cost: cameras/sensors + software subscription + training.
Include intangible benefits: improved driver safety, reputational protection, and better compliance with inspection logs.

Field pilot example: a practical deployment

Field pilots in late 2025 and early 2026 — across delivery fleets and bus operators — illustrate practical value. Here’s a representative pilot workflow you can replicate:

Fleet: 40 delivery vans, daily urban routes.
Tooling: two handheld thermal cameras (640×480), TPMS with temp reporting on all vans, fleet telematics integration.
Protocol: morning quick-scan + weekly post-run detailed images. Automated alerts when delta >10°C versus axle mate.
Outcome over 3 months: mechanical checks prompted by thermal alerts found early brake drag and underinflated tyres; the fleet reported fewer roadside tyre incidents and better tyre life uniformity. Technicians said the ability to see hotspots reduced guesswork and sped up diagnosis.

Use a short pilot like this to tune thresholds for your vehicles and duty cycles before scaling across your depot.

Advanced strategies: predictive models and preventative scheduling

Once you collect thermal images and telemetry, you can build predictive maintenance strategies that go beyond alerts:

Trend-based replacement: Replace tyres based on progressive temperature changes rather than strict tread depth alone.
Load-aware scheduling: Combine load, route, and thermal patterns to rotate tyres and equalize wear.
Automated routing to fitters: If a tyre is flagged, automatically route the vehicle to the nearest approved fitment centre with spare tyre inventory data.
Fleet-wide analytics: Identify vehicle models or trailer types that consistently show heat issues and take corrective design/operational steps.

Training and SOPs: what technicians need to know

Even the best techs need new skills. Build short SOPs and training modules that cover:

How to capture consistent thermal images (distance, angle, ambient note).
Interpreting common thermal patterns and required follow-ups.
How and when to use emissivity correction and calibration checks.
Data handling — how to tag, store, and escalate thermal findings in your CMMS.

Final verdict: where thermal imaging fits in your maintenance stack

In 2026, thermal imaging is no longer experimental gadgetry — it’s a practical augment to standard preventive checks. When combined with TPMS, telematics, and smart workflows, portable cameras and tyre-mounted sensors give garages and fleets the ability to:

Detect tyre hotspots, bead problems, and underinflation earlier.
Prioritise repairs and avoid unnecessary tyre swaps.
Reduce roadside incidents and extend tyre life through targeted interventions.

But success depends on standardised capture methods, sensible thresholds, integration with telematics, and technician training. Treat CES 2026 gadget picks as the start of the conversation — not a turnkey solution — and build simple pilots to prove value in your operation.

Actionable takeaways — a one-week plan to start using thermal imaging

Buy or borrow one handheld thermal camera (320×240 minimum) and run a cold baseline on three representative vehicles.
Create a 2-step SOP: morning quick-scan + weekly detailed run-scan. Standardise distance and capture angles.
Set a conservative alert threshold (start at an axle delta of ~8–10°C) and validate with pressure checks and bearing inspections.
Log images and build a simple spreadsheet of trends; after one month, review which tyres have progressive rises and schedule replacements proactively.
Plan a 3-month pilot to measure tyre-related incidents and calculate ROI for scaling across the fleet.

Closing: get ahead of failures — not just react to them

Thermal imaging and the sensor tech shown at CES 2026 give garages and fleets a practical edge: the ability to see failure signatures before they become emergencies. Start small, integrate smartly, and use thermal data together with TPMS and telematics for real predictive maintenance that saves money and keeps vehicles moving.

Ready to try it? Download our free one-week thermal inspection checklist or contact a tyres.top specialist for a demo tailored to your fleet or garage — get set up to spot hotspots before they stop you.

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