By Lennard Kwek

Over the last century, the world population has more than quadrupled. [1] Most of this growth is centred around the Asia-Pacific region, which is estimated to drive 40 per cent of the world’s consumption of goods and services by 2040. [2] In the last 30 years alone, countries such as China and Vietnam have experienced rapid urbanisation, fuelling economic growth and opening doors to infrastructure and public services to address the needs of the ever-rising middle-class population.

As people move up the economic ladder, their desire to lead a more comfortable life has a significant impact on many industries, including the automotive sector. The region’s economic potential and growing appetite for luxury and environmentally friendly products have led to innovations in the areas of Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric (CASE).

Vehicles, which play a huge role in the mobility of people and goods in this part of the world. And as critical components of automobiles, the tyre industry must keep pace with the changes brought about by CASE. The future of tyre will need to bring continued reliability, safety, and enhanced performance yet have the ability to integrate emerging technologies such as sensors, smart diagnostics and advanced safety systems. Such changes are also driving tire companies to innovate and develop diversified products and solutions as we move towards the concept of Mobilityas-a-Service (MaaS). 

EV tyres 
For instance, electric vehicles tend to be heavier due to the extra weight of the battery pack. Tyres for electric cars thus need to be structurally reinforced to withstand this increased load while maintaining low rolling resistance to maximise fuel efficiency. Conscious of consumer’s changing preferences and the associated environmental benefits of electric vehicles, Bridgestone specially designed custom-built tyres i.e. the ECOPIA ologic series for the BMW i3 electric vehicles. The tyres feature narrow tyre width to realise low rolling resistance and to reduce aero-dynamic resistance which are important factors in the improvement of a vehicle’s fuel efficiency and the reduction of carbon emissions.
 Another trend in the automotive industry that has influenced the design of tyre is the rise of “shared mobility” services, such as ride-sharing. In the last few years, we have witnessed the massive popularity of ride-sharing platforms, and this growth is only projected to increase. A recent report by Bizwit Research estimates that the ride-sharing industry will grow by more than 20% between the years 2019 to 2025 [3].

 Run-Flat Technology 
On this front, Bridgestone’s tyres are engineered to offer enhanced performance and durability as the road-life of the tyres need to withstand the high-frequency usage demand of these vehicles. Solutions such as the recently launched DriveGuard RunFlat Technology (RFT) enable drivers to remain in control and continue driving up to a maximum distance of 80 kilometres at a maximum speed of 80 kilometres per hour after a puncture or complete loss of pressure. In addition to this, Bridgestone’s automatic sealant technology called B-Seal also guarantees air retention when nails, stones or other objects are embedded at up to 5mm in diameter in the tyre tread. These tyre solutions focus on extending tyre endurance and mobility - ideal for vehicles used very frequently in the ride sharing scenario. The rise of IoT and AI technologies is also powering the evolution of connected and autonomous selfdriving vehicles. Selfdriving opens up a world of possibilities - from increased personal safety to time efficiency and mobility for non drivers. In Asia, China seems to be taking the lead in readying self-driving vehicles for production, expecting fully autonomous vehicles to account for 10 per cent of car sales by 2030.[4] This accelerating transformation towards autonomous operations has a significant impact on the tyre industry. Tyre manufacturers will need to work towards creating tyres that can communicate with these autonomous vehicles, involving the integration of advanced sensor technologies, smart diagnostics and data analytics. 
Having identified these needs at an early stage, Bridgestone is transforming its business operations to focus on solutions and integrating these technologies to meet the needs and expectations of the next generation of drivers. At its foundation is the newly introduced global mobility solutions strategy called Bridgestone Tires & Diversified Products as a Solution (Bridgestone T&DPaaS). The strategy is a combination of products, services such as Bridgestone’s Global Service Network and digital technologies.

Smart Strain Sensor
Under the digital techniques branch, Bridgestone has developed a new type of tyre sensor, called the Smart Strain Sensor. A first-of-its-kind, the Smart Strain Sensor technology incorporates Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to help measure the strain that occurs when a tire makes contact with the road while in motion. Furthermore, unlike accelerometer sensors, the Smart Strain Sensor can record data even at low speeds, which makes it an important differentiator for autonomous vehicles which are expected to operate at lower speeds for enhanced safety. Last year, Bridgestone also acquired TomTom Telematics, now renamed as Webfleet Solutions, which offers 
data-based solutions that make fleet operations more effective and efficient. Through this, Bridgestone gains valuable insights into vehicle and tire operating conditions from a user base of 860,000 vehicles communicating 200 million data points per day, thus accelerating its tire solutions offerings and paving the road towards autonomous driving. As the automotive industry continues to transform with the ongoing implementation of CASE, it is evident that tires will continue to play a key role in this revolution. However, in order to overcome the challenges and benefit from the opportunities arising from these trends, the tire industry will need to “reinvent the wheel” to stay on track and meet the evolving needs of the wider automotive industry. 

REF: [1] https://hbr.org/2016/04/globaldemand-for-food-is-rising-can-we-meetit
 [2] https://www.mckinsey.com/featuredinsights/asia-pacific/asias-future-is-now
 [3] https://www.reuters.com/ brandfeatures/venture-capital/ article?id=83120
[4] https://publicaffairsasia.com/drivinggrowth-the-mechanics-of-auto

Lennard Kwek is Head of Marketing at Bridgestone China & Asia Pacific.

Lucid Motors has selected Hankook Tire’s EV-exclusive all-season tyre, the iON evo AS SUV, as original equipment (OE) for its all-new electric SUV, the Lucid Gravity, designed for the North American Market.

Through its partnership with Lucid Motors, Hankook Tire has unveiled the iON evo AS SUV as a high-performance all-season tyre designed especially for big electric SUVs. The tyre's next-generation compound design combines high-performance polymers, environmentally friendly components, and high-concentration silica to provide outstanding grip and improved mileage performance in a variety of driving circumstances throughout the year. Notably, the tyre's stiffness profile has been tuned to support the heavier EV battery packs while maintaining a consistent road contact pressure to improve driving stability.

Its tread shape also permits even wear, increasing the tyre's longevity. The tyres greatly reduce rolling resistance and efficiently reduce noise by carefully balancing the size and quantity of tread blocks. Drivers who want a dynamic driving experience may retain great energy economy thanks to this design's improvements.

The Lucid Gravity, a full-size, three-row SUV and Lucid Motors' second all-electric vehicle model, was just introduced in the US. The Lucid Gravity has a sleek body and an elegant interior. It has a range of more than 700 kilometres on a single charge, can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in only 3.5 seconds and produces up to 828 horsepower in Grand Touring configuration. Actual results will vary depending on temperature, driving behaviour, battery state and charging.

Firestone, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone), has launched the Firestone Affinity AS tyre, its latest touring tyre designed for mainstream sedans.

The Firestone Affinity AS tyre features a tread compound that safeguards against uneven and premature wear and comes with a limited warranty of up to 65,000 miles (approx. 104,607 km). It also helps limit road noise and vibration, while the unique tread pattern with diagonal and lateral sipes is designed to improve wet-weather traction and handling. Noise-silencing grooves in the tread pattern further help reduce noise and harshness while enhancing drivability.

An important addition to the Firestone touring collection, the Affinity AS tyre is positioned between the Firestone WeatherGrip and the entry-level all-season tyres. With no winter-specific certification, the Affinity AS tyre adds to Firestone's lineup and gives drivers who value consistent all-season performance another choice. Popular automobiles with rim widths ranging from 15 to 19 inches are designed to fit the Affinity AS tyre. At launch, there are nine fitments available. Throughout 2025, the 28 total fitments will be made available in a phased rollout. The Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Hyundai Elantra, Ford Focus and Chevrolet Impala SEL are among the vehicles whose Affinity AS tyres fit the best.

Brad Robison, Director – Consumer Product Strategy, Bridgestone Americas, said, "Our new touring offering, the Affinity AS tyre, is designed to deliver confident handling, a quiet ride and long wear life for mainstream sedans. With impressive wet-weather grip and longevity, the Affinity AS tyre is built for the drivers who appreciate strong performance and good value.”

Polestar has selected Continental’s SportContact 7 tyre as original equipment (OE) for its new electric SUV, the Polestar 3. The SUV will be fitted with 21-inch tyres in several key markets, including the UK and Ireland.

The tyre has an XL designation for greater load capacity and is authorised for speeds of up to 168 mph (approx 270 kmph). ContiSilent technology, which lowers interior noise and adds to the comfort that one would expect from a high-end EV, is a feature of the Polestar-approved models. The SportContact 7, available in two sizes (265/45 R21 108W XL and 295/40 R21 111W XL), offers a combination of improved stability, grip and rolling finesse.

Maximum driving safety and accurate handling are made possible by the SportContact 7 tyre in a variety of situations. Its creation was centred on maximising driving pleasure, cutting down on stopping distances and prolonging tyre life. In comparison to its predecessor, the tyre delivers a 17 percent gain in mileage, a six percent reduction in braking distance on dry roads and an eight percent shorter braking distance on wet roads.

Cycling tyre manufacturer Maxxis is set to upgrade its gravel tyre portfolio by introducing its new HYPR-X compound.

The new formulation combines technology from two existing Maxxis compounds: the low-rolling-resistance HYPR for road cycling and the race-winning MaxxSpeed for mountain biking applications.

According to Maxxis, the enhanced versions of its Receptor, Reaver, Rambler, and Ravager models will deliver “19 per cent better cornering traction and 25 per cent less rolling resistance” compared to their predecessors.

Technical improvements extend beyond the new compound. Maxxis implemented a stronger nylon material for the 120 TPI casing to increase tread durability. Sidewalls will incorporate the company’s EXO Protection technology to guard against cuts and abrasions. All models will be tubeless-ready.

The company has also refreshed the aesthetic design of these tyres, featuring updated branding on hot patches with grey and orange accents. In line with sustainability initiatives, the new range will ship in recyclable paper packaging, reducing plastic waste.

The phased rollout begins with the Reaver and Rambler models in 700X45C size, with additional sizes becoming available throughout the next three months. The Ravager and Receptor range is scheduled for release in the third quarter of 2025.

Maxxis has directed customers to contact local dealers or visit their website for information on availability as products are released throughout the year.