PitPro Deploys Robotic Tire Changers at Kal Tire in Calgary

Tire shops are struggling to hold onto employees. PitPro Automation, a San Francisco startup, has installed its first robotic system at a Kal Tire store in Calgary, Canada. The installation marks an early step toward automating a task that many repair shops find hard to staff.

The setup uses two oven-sized box robots that move along tracks. Sensors and robotic arms locate and loosen lug nuts, store the nuts, remove wheels, and install new or rotated tires.

PitPro claims the entire four-tire change can be completed in 15 minutes, roughly 90% faster than a human technician. The company says the system is designed to fit into existing tire-service workflows rather than replace the whole shop.

Labor shortages are a more pressing problem than automation-driven replacement, according to PitPro founder and CEO Jeremy Conrad.

Conrad told TechCrunch that tire changing is 'extremely physically demanding' work, and tire shops face severe staffing shortages. Even when workers are hired, they often leave within months to a year.

He cited one store owner who said a Panda Express opened across the street and poached half the staff, forcing the owner to seek special permission to raise wages and retain workers. The anecdote illustrates how competition from other businesses can drain tire-shop staff.

Kenneth Chaun, senior vice president of strategy and innovation at Kal Tire, said tire service is physical labor, and Canadian winters create sharp demand peaks.

He said the company sees automation as a 'force multiplier' for its team, not a replacement. Robots handle the heaviest, most repetitive lifting, allowing technicians to focus on diagnosis and customer service.