TIRE AND SYSTEM FOR TIRE TREAD WEAR SENSING AND ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE

A tire tread wear depth sensing system is disclosed, the system comprising a tread wear plug including a shaft configured to be inserted in a channel extending from an inside surface of a tire through at least a portion of one of a plurality of tread elements of the tire, and a conductor embedded in the shaft, the conductor having a pair of ends terminating into a corresponding pair of sensor contacts in a flange positioned at a first end of the shaft, wherein a portion of the conductor is positioned in the shaft at a predefined distance from a second end of the shaft such that the portion of the conductor is disposed in a sacrificial portion of the tread element of the tire when the shaft is fully inserted into the channel, the conductor comprising a conductive rubber composition having an uncured or cured electrical resistance at 23°C less than 10 KΩ when formed into a wire 254 millimeters long and 2 millimeters in diameter. Also, a tire is disclosed comprising chimney, or a channel and a tread wear plug with a conductor embedded in a shaft, or a conductive component and a conductive insert, said chimney or conductor or conductive insert extending through at least one tread element and comprising a rubber composition having an uncured or cured electrical resistance at 23°C less than 10 KΩ when formed into a wire 254 millimeters long and 2 millimeters in diameter.