Tyre scanning at speed: identifying unsafe truck tyres before inspection

A road-embedded scanner can measure tread depth on every tyre in motion—helping identify unsafe heavy vehicles before they reach inspection.

A scanner embedded in the roadway can capture tyre imagery and measure tread depth for each tyre on a passing heavy vehicle—without requiring the vehicle to stop.

Developed by Roadguard, the system combines advanced optics with machine learning to estimate tread depth and assess tyre condition in near real time. Vehicle identifiers can also be recorded to support targeted follow-up checks.

Approximately 1,400 heavy vehicles cross the Svinesund border each day. Measurements indicate that around one in ten operate with illegal tyres on Norwegian winter roads.

While detection can be automated, enforcement still requires personnel to stop vehicles and issue orders to replace unsafe tyres. Looking ahead, the goal is to enable broader use of scanner insights—helping intervene earlier and reduce the likelihood of high-risk vehicles continuing onto more demanding routes.

Safe travels.