AI robot can change your tires in half the time

AI is coming for one of America's dirtiest jobs: changing tires . Why it matters: Demand for tire service is accelerating, in part because EV tires need more frequent replacement — just as service shops struggle to hire technicians . Changing tires is noisy, back-breaking work. And nobody wants to spend half their day waiting for a tire rotation. Automation is the answer , says Andy Chalofsky, a serial tire entrepreneur whose family has been in the tire business for four generations. Driving the news: His latest company, Automated Tire Inc., developed SmartBay, a robotic system that can inspect vehicles, swap tires and balance wheels with minimal human help. Instead of relying on fixed routines, the AI-powered system adapts to each vehicle, collecting and analyzing data along the way. That data can generate real-time insights that can be shared across ATI's network of customers including dealerships and auto service shops. How it works: The SmartBay system, which fits a standard 12-foo