Automotive startup helping bring innovation to tire change experience for leading retailer

RoboTire, a Detroit-based robotics and automation company, announced a significant milestone in its efforts to revolutionize the tire replacement industry: a Discount Tire store in Fountain Hills, Arizona, is now the first Discount Tire location in North America to install and operate a RoboTire tire changing system. Discount Tire, a leading independent retailer of tires and wheels with more than 1,100 stores in the U.S., is installing the RoboTire system as one of many enhancements at its stores, designed to deliver safety and satisfaction in the customer experience.

"At Discount Tire, our priority is to continually innovate on the services we offer to give the best possible experience to our customers," said Tom Williams, chief experience officer at Discount Tire. "We are excited to be the first to market in our space with RoboTire's technology. With our Discount Tire expert people operating RoboTire systems, we will make the workplace safer and the experience easier as we hope to continue to reduce customer wait times and take care of more and more customers."

RoboTire installed the fourth generation of its tire changing system at the Discount Tire store. Systems from RoboTire, which are manufactured in the U.S., use machine learning, artificial intelligence, high-definition cameras, proprietary software, and advanced robotics to change four tires on a passenger vehicle in less than 25 minutes. RoboTire can be easily integrated into tire shop operations, and RoboTire provides operator training for a service center's current tire technicians. At Discount Tire, RoboTire systems will remove, lift, and install tire and wheel assemblies, helping to reduce technician injuries that can occur with repetitive heavy lifting. Discount Tire expert technicians will operate the systems and provide tire pressure monitoring and balancing services needed.

Victor Darolfi, RoboTire founder and chief executive officer, said, "Discount Tire has been a proven leader in the tire and wheel industry for more than 60 years. We are excited to expand our partnership with them to enhance safety and efficiency in their stores and help increase the number of customers that can be serviced on any given day. RoboTire's systems will drastically change how tire stores and service centers like Discount Tire approach changing tires, employee and vehicle safety, and customer satisfaction."

Discount Tire is an investor in RoboTire, which closed its Series A in late 2021. RoboTire is ramping up manufacturing at its Plymouth, Michigan, headquarters and will be scaling the delivery of systems throughout North America in the coming months.

The Discount Tire store featuring a RoboTire system is located at 16745 E. Shea Blvd., Fountain Hills, AZ 85268. For more information, visit robotire.com.

About RoboTire
RoboTire is a robotics and automation solution that is revolutionizing the way tires are changed. Founded by CEO Victor Darolfi in October 2018, RoboTire has designed a system that enables robots to change tires in a fraction of the time human operators can — reducing an hour-long experience to under 25 minutes. By bringing innovation to the traditional, RoboTire is transforming the way fleet operators, dealers, and independent service providers look at tire and wheel services. For more information, visit robotire.com.

About Discount Tire
Discount Tire, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a leading independent retailer of tires and wheels. Founded in 1960 by Bruce Halle, the company serves customers at more than 1,100 stores in 37 states. The company does business under the trade name Discount Tire in most of the U.S. and America's Tire in parts of California. Discount Tire acquired Tire Rack, a direct-to-consumer tire retailer and distributor, in 2021. Treadwell, Discount Tire's proprietary online tire-buying guide, uses decades of data and individual driving habits to recommend the right tires for each driver's unique needs. Discount Tire is a primary sponsor of the No. 2 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Cup Series. For more information, visit www.discounttire.com.