PitPro’s first tire-changing robot goes live in Canada

San Francisco-based PitPro Automation has placed its first automated tire-changing system into a commercial tire shop in Calgary, Alberta, the company announced. The deployment sits at a Kal Tire location, part of one of Canada’s largest independent tire service chains. PitPro says its system can remove and replace a full set of four tires in under 15 minutes.

The system is built to integrate into existing service bays and comprises two compact robots that use sensors and a robotic arm to locate and loosen lug nuts, store them, remove wheels, and fit new or rotated tires. PitPro designed the hardware to coexist with other bay activity so mechanics can continue to use the space for additional maintenance tasks.

Founder and CEO Jeremy Conrad told TechCrunch the startup is initially focused on fleets and standardized chains, where uniform bay layouts and recurring tire-change demand make wider deployment more practical. PitPro has recruited former Ford Pro executive Ted Cannis as an adviser to help with fleet introductions, and Conrad said the company still plans to expand into other types of automated maintenance over time.

Conrad emphasized labor pressures as a driver for automation: he described tire-changing as strenuous work and said shops are struggling to retain employees. Moving into real-world garages has also exposed technical challenges, including keeping sensors accurate in bays that are often open to dust, debris and weather. An installation photo he shared showed the robots briefly covered in dandelion seeds, an unexpected but noncritical exposure that the company addressed while refining the system.