Tire Identification & Tread Measurement
Effortlessly scan and evaluate all critical tire data for a complete inspection experience.
Before you start- Tire Identification is a completely optional additional feature of the TireBuddy App, and comes on before Tire Diagnostic if enabled.
- Enable Customer Identification and Tire Identification in Settings if required.
- If Customer Identification is enabled, enter the customer name before accessing Tire Identification.
- Adjust these settings in the app’s Settings Menu.
Tire Identification UI Overview
The Tire Identification process begins immediately after Vehicle Identification (if enabled), or directly after starting an inspection if Vehicle Identification is not used. The first screen you’ll see is the Tire Diagnostic UI, where you are prompted to select which tire you want to inspect: Front Left, Front Right, Rear Left, or Rear Right. You can start with any tire on the vehicle.
Once you select a tire, the workflow will depend on your chosen settings in the Settings Menu:
If One-Shot Sidewall is Enabled
The One-Shot Sidewall scanner launches immediately after tire selection. This scanner uses an on-screen guidance overlay to help you position the camera correctly for the best scan. It captures the following data in a single step (if these elements are enabled in your settings):
- DOT/TIN
- Tire Size
- Tire Make
- Tire Model
After a successful scan, you’ll be shown the Tire Identification UI to review or edit the captured information.
If you use the One-Shot Sidewall, the scanned image of the tire will be shown at the the top of the Tire Identification UI. If the One-Shot Sidewall is disabled, a placeholder image of a tire will be shown instead.
If One-Shot Sidewall is Disabled
After selecting a tire, the Tire Identification UI is shown, allowing you to enter or scan each data element individually. Only the elements you have enabled in the Settings Menu will appear.
- DOT/TIN and Tire Size both have a scan icon to activate their respective scanners (you may also enter this information manually).
- Tire Make and Tire Model can be entered manually in their text fields.
- Tire Notes is an optional field for adding any extra details, just like Vehicle Notes in the previous step.
- DOT/TIN Only
- DOT/TIN and Tire Size
- DOT/TIN, Tire Size and Tire Make
- All Options Selected
In this screen example, the settings are:
Tire Identification general setting is ON
DOT/TIN is ON
Tire Size is OFF
Tire Make is OFF
Tire Model is OFF
In this screen example, the settings are:
Tire Identification general setting is ON
DOT/TIN is ON
Tire Size is ON
Tire Make is OFF
Tire Model is OFF
In this screen example, the settings are:
Tire Identification general setting is ON
DOT/TIN is ON
Tire Size is ON
Tire Make is ON
Tire Model is OFF
In this screen example, the settings are:
Tire Identification general setting is ON
DOT/TIN is ON
Tire Size is ON
Tire Make is ON
Tire Model is ON
If you disable specific fields (for example, DOT/TIN), those fields will not appear in the UI for data collection.
Conducting Inspections with Tire Identification & Tread Measurement
Tire Identification & Tread Measurement lets you capture and verify all key tire information and measure tread depth using your device’s camera and scanner, or by entering data manually. Follow these steps to ensure a complete and reliable inspection:
Preparing for Tire Scanning
- Make sure your device is charged and the camera lens is clean.
- Position the vehicle so all four tires are easily accessible, with sufficient lighting and minimal glare or shadow.
- If available, use the guidance overlays on-screen to help with alignment for sidewall or tread scans.
Selecting a Tire
- The Tire Diagnostic screen appears first. Tap on any of the four tires (LF: Left Front, RF: Right Front, LR: Left Rear, RR: Right Rear) to begin.
- You can inspect the tires in any order; data for each will be tracked separately.
Performing Tire Identification
After selecting a tire, you will proceed according to your app settings:
With One-Shot Sidewall Enabled
- The One-Shot Sidewall scanner opens immediately. Align the full tire sidewall within the blue overlay for optimal results.
- The scanner will capture all enabled elements (DOT/TIN, Tire Size, Tire Make, Tire Model) in one step.
- Review or edit results before moving on.
Follow the on-screen overlay and prompts for correct positioning. If the scan fails or is inaccurate, adjust your angle or lighting and try again.
Manual EntryYou can always enter or edit tire data manually by tapping on the relevant field, even after scanning.
With One-Shot Sidewall Disabled
- The Tire Identification UI opens. Each element enabled in your settings will appear.
- DOT/TIN and Tire Size can be scanned using the scanner icon, or entered manually.
- Tire Make and Tire Model are entered manually.
- Use Tire Notes to add any extra information.
Manual EntryYou can always enter or edit tire data manually by tapping on the relevant field, even after scanning.
Measuring Tread Depth
After Tire Identification, the Tread Measurement scanner will launch automatically. Follow the animated video prompt:
- “Record very slowly for 7 seconds.”
- Press Got It to proceed, then rotate your device horizontally as instructed.
- Align the tire with the guidance overlay and tap to start recording.
- Keep your device steady and move slowly for the most accurate results.
If you get an error or poor result, you can try again, or enter tread depth manually in the displayed fields.
- If scanning fails, you may see errors such as “Image issues! Record for longer and move device slower.”
- You can always “Scan again” or enter results directly into the text boxes.
Reviewing & Editing Results
After each Tire Identification or Tire Tread Measurement scan, you can review and edit the results individually as needed:
Tire Tread Measurement
- After each scan, review the data.
- Tap on any of the Tread Depth per Zone boxes to correct or update the results manually.
Recognizing Manually Entered vs. Scanned DataIf you manually add or edit text, it will appear in white or black (depending on your selected theme).
Text obtained from scanned images will appear in blue.
Tire Identification
- After each scan, review the data.
- Tap on any field to correct or update the results manually.
When selecting a new tire, you can choose “Copy tire info” to duplicate results from the previous tire, or “Capture new” to scan fresh data.
Recognizing Manually Entered vs. Scanned DataIf you manually add or edit text, it will appear in white or black (depending on your selected theme).
Text obtained from scanned images will appear in blue.
Finishing Tire Inspections
- After scanning and reviewing all four tires (or as many as needed), tap Finish Vehicle Scan.
- Your full inspection report is saved under Activity and is available as a CSV and PDF.
- You may also rate your digital tire inspection experience before finishing.