San Francisco startup PitPro Automation has installed its first automatic tire-changing system at a Kal Tire location in Calgary, Alberta. Kal Tire is one of Canada's largest independent tire service chains. The startup says its robotic system, first revealed last year, can swap a full set of four tires in under 15 minutes.
Founder and CEO Jeremy Conrad wants to move into other kinds of automated maintenance eventually, but sees a big near-term business in tires. He describes tire changing as backbreaking work and says shops face a major labor shortage, with workers often leaving within a few months to a year. One shop manager told him they needed special permission to raise pay after a nearby Panda Express hired away about half their employees.
PitPro's system is designed to slide right into existing maintenance bays . It uses two boxy robots, each roughly the size of an oven, that combine sensors and a robotic arm to locate and loosen the lug nuts . The robots store the lug nuts, pull off each wheel, and replace it with a new or rotated tire.
PitPro is still focused on commercial fleets , and former Ford Pro executive Ted Cannis advises the company and helps with introductions to major US fleets. Conrad also sees tire chains as a major opportunity because of steady demand, especially in Canada, where most drivers switch to and from winter tires every year. Chains have standardized layouts that support wider rollout, and mechanics can still use the bay for other maintenance.
Tire shops usually work with their bay doors open, which exposes the robots to dust, debris and weather. PitPro had to account for this to keep the system robust and to keep its sensors accurately tracking the tires. In one surprise, the Calgary robots were almost completely covered in dandelion seeds, which Conrad said will not be a problem.