Robot tire shop opens in Calgary

San Francisco startup PitPro Automation installed its first automatic tire-changing system at a Kal Tire location in Calgary, Alberta.

Four tires in under 15 minutes

PitPro's robotic system can swap a full set of four tires in under fifteen minutes using sensors and a robotic arm.

Tire shops face severe labor crisis

Changing tires is backbreaking work and tire shops struggle to hire and retain staff. One manager lost half their employees when a Panda Express opened nearby.

“One shop manager was telling me they had to get special permission to pay more because a Panda Express opened across the street and it took about half their employees.”

How the robot works

Two oven-sized robots locate and loosen lug nuts, store them, remove wheels, and install new or rotated tires in existing maintenance bays.

Why tire chains, not fleets

PitPro founder Jeremy Conrad targets tire chains because of constant winter tire demand in Canada and standardized layouts that enable wider deployment.

Outdoor conditions pose challenges

Tire shops operate with bay doors open, exposing robots to dust, debris, and weather. PitPro had to ensure sensors maintain accurate tire visibility.

Dandelion seeds surprise

During Calgary installation, robots were covered in dandelion seeds. Conrad said testing showed it won't affect performance.

“We looked into it, and it's not going to be a problem for us. But it's just like… I had never thought about that we might need to deal with a dust cloud of dandelions.”