Mostly Resilient
Last Update: 6/19/2026
AI Resilience Score for Tire Repairers & Changers:
64.5%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
High
Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
High
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
Med
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
There are a reasonable number of sources for this result, but there is some disagreement between them.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forTire Repairers and Changers
$37,120 median salary•15,300 annual openings•SOC Code: 49-3093.00
Tire Repairers and Changers are somewhat more resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 6 sources.
Tire repairing and changing is labeled "Mostly Resilient" because AI is changing how the work gets done rather than eliminating the need for humans altogether. New robotic systems like SmartBay can speed up routine tire swaps, but a human technician still needs to oversee the process, handle tricky or unusual vehicles, and make judgment calls that a machine cannot.
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View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoAnalysisChatNewsMoreThis role is mostly resilient
Tire repairing and changing is labeled "Mostly Resilient" because AI is changing how the work gets done rather than eliminating the need for humans altogether. New robotic systems like SmartBay can speed up routine tire swaps, but a human technician still needs to oversee the process, handle tricky or unusual vehicles, and make judgment calls that a machine cannot.
Read full analysisAnalysis of Current AI Resilience
Tire Repairers & Changers
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Tire Repairers & Changers jobs?
The biggest change in tire service hit the industry just this week. On May 12, 2026, a startup called Automated Tire, Inc. unveiled SmartBay, an AI-powered robotic platform that automates tire changes and vehicle inspections [1] using computer vision and machine learning. Unlike a traditional tire change, SmartBay leaves the wheel on the car [2], dismounting the tire directly from the rim — skipping the lug-nut step that takes the most labor.
Tire Business reports that the system could allow one tech to manage three service bays simultaneously [3], cutting a four-tire job from roughly an hour down to 30 minutes. Right now this is augmentation more than full automation: a human operator still removes the used tire, loads the new one, connects the air line, and mounts the balance weights [1]. Beyond the robot itself, dealerships are also adopting software AI for tire-tread inspection, inventory forecasting, and customer service — Modern Tire Dealer notes that AI adoption in tire retailing is moving faster than past tech waves [4] like online parts ordering.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Tire Repairers & Changers?
Adoption pressure is high because shops can't find enough workers. ATI points to a shortage of at least 37,000 new automotive technicians annually [5], and an industry recruiter notes the tire-tech gap is fueled by an aging workforce, low awareness of the career, and physically demanding conditions [6]. EVs are accelerating demand too, since electric vehicles wear through tires up to 30% faster [2].
Still, full adoption will take years: SmartBay just emerged from stealth, an earlier rival, RoboTire, filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy [1], and most independent shops can't afford new robotic bays overnight. The good news for young people: the human role is shifting toward overseeing machines, handling tricky vehicles, and doing higher-skill diagnostic work — ATI's CEO says the goal is to let technicians focus on more complicated vehicles and problems [5]. Hands-on judgment, customer trust, and mechanical curiosity remain very much in demand.
Sources
Will AI replace Tire Repairers & Changers?
No. We don't think AI will replace Tire Repairers and Changers, though we do expect the job to change.
Robotic platforms are entering the shop. A startup called Automated Tire, Inc. recently unveiled SmartBay, an AI-powered system that can cut a four-tire job from roughly an hour down to 30 minutes and let one technician manage three bays at once [3]. But right now a human operator still removes the used tire, loads the new one, connects the air line, and mounts the balance weights [1]. This is augmentation, not replacement.
The job market also supports staying in this field. Shops are already short at least 37,000 automotive technicians a year [5], and electric vehicles are driving more tire wear, not less [2]. That underlying demand is reflected in our 64.5% AI Resilience Score for this career.
What stays human is real: handling tricky vehicles, earning customer trust, and applying hands-on mechanical judgment that a robot cannot improvise. The goal, according to ATI's CEO, is to free technicians to focus on more complicated problems [5]. If you are curious about this work, the smarter move is to learn alongside the machines, not to avoid the field because of them.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Tire Repairers & Changers
As AI technology advances, tire repairers and changers should be aware of its impact on their careers. Articles highlight innovations like ATI's SmartBay, which can change and balance tires faster and with greater accuracy, potentially reshaping repair shops. While some reports suggest job vulnerability due to automation, these changes also create opportunities for workers to adapt by developing skills that complement AI. Embracing this technology can lead to a more efficient work environment, emphasizing the resilience of those in the tire repair industry.
AI robot changes your tires and balances them too
www.foxnews.com • 6/20/2026
May 12, 2026 — ATI's SmartBay uses physical AI to change tires, balance wheels and inspect vehicles with minimal human help. Read more
AI-powered, tire-changing, wheel-balancing robot promises accuracy, automation
www.tirebusiness.com • 5/20/2026
BOSTON — AI and robotics firm Automated Tire Inc. (ATI) has publicly launched to announce SmartBay, an “industry-first” AI-powered robotic...
AI robot can change your tires in half the time
www.axios.com • 5/20/2026
AI is coming for one of America's dirtiest jobs: changing tires.
A $4,900 Per Month AI Robot Is Coming For The $17-An-Hour Guy Who Changes Your Tires
www.carscoops.com • 5/20/2026
A new robotic tire system promises faster service and could reshape repair shops.
Microsoft reveals 40 jobs most at risk from AI and 40 that remain safe: Is yours among them?
www.financialexpress.com • 8/1/2025
A recent report from Microsoft has identified the 40 occupations most vulnerable to disruption by artificial intelligence.
More Career Info
Career: Tire Repairers and Changers
They fix or replace car tires to ensure vehicles run smoothly and safely on the road.
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Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$37,120
Jobs (2024)
113,400
Growth (2024-34)
+5.7%
Annual Openings
15,300
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Glue tire patches over ruptures in tire casings, using rubber cement.
2
Seal punctures in tubeless tires by inserting adhesive material and expanding rubber plugs into punctures, using hand tools.
3
Separate tubed tires from wheels, using rubber mallets and metal bars or mechanical tire changers.
4
Clean and tidy up the shop.
5
Place tire casings and tread rubber assemblies in tire molds for the vulcanization process and exert pressure to ensure good adhesion.
6
Reassemble tires onto wheels.
7
Rotate tires to different positions on vehicles, using hand tools.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
