PitPro’s First Tire-Changing Robot Goes Live in Canada

PitPro Automation says it has installed its first automatic tire-changing system at a tire shop in Calgary, Alberta. The deployment is at a Kal Tire location, described in the article as one of Canada’s largest independent tire service chains.

The startup says the system can swap a full set of four tires in under 15 minutes, positioning the launch as a real-world test of robotics in everyday vehicle maintenance.

PitPro is focusing on tires as a near-term opportunity within the broader car ownership experience. Founder and CEO Jeremy Conrad told TechCrunch that tire-changing work is “backbreaking” and that tire shops are facing a major labor shortage.

Canada is a particularly relevant market because many car owners switch to and from winter tires every year, creating recurring demand for tire changes.

The system is designed to fit into existing maintenance bays. It uses two boxy robots, each roughly the size of an oven, with sensors and a robotic arm to locate and loosen lug nuts.

The robots store the lug nuts, remove each wheel, and replace it with a new or rotated tire. According to Conrad, mechanics can still use the same bay for other maintenance, which could make adoption easier for shops.

PitPro has mainly discussed plans to deploy tire-changing robots with commercial fleets, and Conrad said that remains a focus. The company also sees tire chains as a major opportunity because standardized layouts can support broader deployment.

Real-world conditions have introduced challenges, including open bay doors that expose the robots to dust, debris, and weather. Conrad said the company had to account for those conditions so the system remains robust and its sensors can accurately view tires.