Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags use radio waves to transmit information from small tags to a receiver and computer system, which can then track the physical location and history of each tagged item. The technology has already started showing up in tires, palleted goods and individual products, and can be expanded to engine parts or other automotive products.
RFID labels provide several significant improvements over bar codes in identifying objects, with information storage capacity, interfacing with computer systems and non-line-of-sight reading among the most important.
Freedonia said applications can include tracking of items throughout a process or location, tracking goods throughout a manufacturing facility, sensing changes to the ambient conditions around the tag – such as tire pressure, checking incoming shipments of pallets to ensure products were shipped correctly, tracking of pharmaceuticals to prevent counterfeiting and many more.
