Plug-in wear or abrasion sensor and tire comprising such a sensor

A plug-in wear sensor device for embedding into a mechanical element (12) is disclosed. The sensor device comprises at least one sensor sacrificial and wearable sensing element (32, 34, 36); power supply means (24) for supplying operational electrical power to the at least one sensing element (32, 34, 36); and communication means (22) for transmitting a data signal from the at least one sensing element (32, 34, 36) indicative of a state of the wear of the mechanical element (12) in which the sensor device (14) is operationally embedded. Also, a vehicle tire comprising at least one tread element (20) projecting radially outward from a base of the tread and having a defined tread depth is disclosed comprising such a sensor device embedded or plugged in into the at least one tread element (20). Finally, vehicle tire tread wear sensing system comprising such a vehicle tire (12) and a controller is disclosed.