The Cyber Tire system works by collecting data from a vehicle as it drives, such as whether there is water on the road that could cause aquaplaning. This data is sent from the vehicle to a central hub via 5G, which enables low latency transmission. Then, data on current road conditions and aquaplanning risks can be sent to other cars in the nearby area, also via 5G.

The Pirelli tires come in to play as they are the only part of the car which is in direct contact with the road. That means the sensors in the Cyber Tire can collect information about road surfaces, and in the future they’ll also be able to detect factors like the distance traveled on the tires and the dynamic load.

Pirelli debuted the connected tire at the “5G Path of Vehicle-to-Everything Communication” event in Turin, Italy this week, along with partner manufacturers Ericsson, Audi, Tim, Italdesign and KTH. The company has not yet announced when the tires will be generally available, but it has said that the new technology should improve both road safety and car performance.

Announced at the Geneva Motor Show, Pirelli’s “Track Adrenaline” technology uses telemetry and tyre data to identify and tell the driver when it’s time to warm up tires, when they’re prime for a flying lap, and when it’s time to come back to the pits for a tire change. The system uses a GPS-equipped electronic box — fitted to the vehicle — and Pirelli’s P Zero Trofeo R tyres, which have sensors inside. All the information is relayed to the Track Adrenaline smartphone app, which also provides information on lap times, acceleration, braking and so on.

But here’s the rub. As Pirelli says in its own press release, the product is designed for “gentlemen drivers, professionals and driving schools,” so it’s not going to be cheap. Of course, the cost of the electronic box is probably negligible, but it’s only compatible with Pirelli’s own motorsport tires, and the whole set-up is designed to be used by people who can stump up for a track day, which is not most motorists.

Nonetheless, the system does point at something that will undoubtedly become more mainstream in the future. This kind of racing data was once only available to professional track teams, so it’s pretty neat that it’s now technically available to anyone. But as with most things, it’ll be the people with the big budgets that get it first.