Michelin India Technology Centre has been operating for over five years. Could you highlight how the centre has been playing its role in research and development for Michelin's domestic and international markets?

The centre has grown over the years in terms of developing competencies and delivering products and solutions to businesses in the local market, region and globally. The agility and flexibility in delivery of solutions to sustainable mobility is one of our key strengths. The product solutions that are developed in conjunction with other regional teams have the cutting edge, keeping Michelin ahead of the curve. The gender and domain diverse team at the centre has brought unique dimensions to meet customer aspirations specific to different vehicle platforms. There are forward looking concepts and products that are being developed in different life cycle stages by the team in India that have upgraded their skills due to their world class training. Our teams are also exposed to global norms and developments in mature markets, thus enabling them to bring in such perspectives while developing products in the domestic market. 

What will drive the Indian truck and bus tyre market in future?

This is very interesting and all of us have seen a reset of a new normal due to Covid-19 in ways we are conducting the different facets of our businesses. The Indian market is smart, agile and ahead in their thought process compared to some of the other markets. The digital solutions, smarts, AI and services will drive the Indian truck and bus tyre market. Customers, whether they own transportation fleets or personal vehicles, want the worry-free ‘fit and forget’ tyre solutions. At Michelin, we have many such services, charging cost per kilometre to customers, which have been deployed in mature markets as well as in India, allowing our customers to focus on other aspects of their business models or personal routines.

The other driving factor will be ‘smarts’ in the tyre industry. The embedded chips in tyres for V2X interfaces are a huge opportunity for the mobility ecosystem with a vast application playfield that includes monitoring tear wear, tyre rotation periods, driver behaviour, inputs fed to active integrated suspensions for ride comfort, adjusting speed depending on terrain for safety and ergonomics of driver comfort as well as cargo movement.

Advanced materials will change the game with growing percentages of recycled rubber in tyre design and manufacturing. These will be an enabler in reducing carbon footprint of a vehicle and the holistic ecosystem including tyre dust. Faster curing materials, self-sealing tyres are around the corner in India. There are pilots and that will be the real ‘aah-ha’ moment for the industry and consumers. 

The centre also has a material testing lab. Sustainable raw materials are growing focus of tyre companies. What are the activities of the centre in the material testing space?

Materials, we believe, will be the strategic edge of our products and solutions as mentioned earlier. The centre does leverage material testing, monitoring various aspects of product development. The automation of test data for faster evaluation and upstream design actions is an important aspect with regard to speed to market. This is something that our teams are good at creatively innovating at the centre and the lab downstream.  

How do you distinguish the product requirements for developed and developing countries?

It is not the product but the solutions and services that are adapted for different regions. This is decided based on local regulations and norms, and the ecosystem and the infrastructure available there to support it. Product development also considers the tech savviness in the totem poles of the customers. The smartness in deploying the right solutions at the right price, at the right time will continue to be a distinguishing and winning factor for us across the globe.

MITC joined hands with IIT Bombay and ARAI. According to you, how will the new mobility shape in India, and how are you preparing, through R&D work, to offer the customised products in India?

This is one amazing aspect of India that we believe can be leveraged to the advantage of the Indian ecosystem. The Indian competitiveness for delivering ‘more customer value with lesser resources’ will help Michelin progress with these engagements. We will have students exposed to mature markets, working with global academia and experienced Michelin engineers to straight-on take the lead in their careers and solution mindset. We are confident that these and such partnerships are the diving boards to our collective growth. To use the cricket analogies, we are here to play well, in both the T20 and the test matches, and we are building teams that can switch on and off the pace between such situations due to their exposure, mentoring and talent acceleration.    

Will you be open to more partnerships in India?

The power of Collective Intelligence is second to none when it comes to delivering smarts to our customers through such valuable partnerships. The centre is already working with few of the academic institutions in India and is in discussions with the right-minded players that are on the same page. We have a clear understanding of ‘where to play’ as it forms our evaluation matrix when we are exploring start-ups, incubation parks and innovation accelerators. We will continue this journey as it helps with the step-change in the Indian ecosystem on many aspects of mobility and related solutions that are beneficial to all stakeholders.

According to you, what are the more significant challenges for scientists and engineers in the tyre industry?

Challenges are to find, train and retain individuals with the right kind of skill-sets. The gestation period to train and get an engineer to deliver high quality smart solutions requires patience and commitment. The more experienced scientists and engineers are at cross roads to delegate to the pipeline of talent that graduates out of our engineering institutions in their early professional journey. The infra and technical power needs to grow in India since the AI solutions and digitalisation can be catapulted very well in an existing innovation mindset for deployment. The race to get to the senior positions without developing a depth in domains is a challenge and not sustainable for growth in the long term. Talent in AI and data analytics tied to tyre and mobility domains is growing, but this talent is enticed by other non-mobility industries, creating a churn and dampening the speed to market and ability to provide attractive solutions and products to our customers. (TT)

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TyreSafe, UK’s leading tyre safety charity, has forged a new alliance with Donna Jones, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, as part of its ongoing drive to strengthen road safety and curb tyre-related incidents nationwide. The partnership reflects the organisation's wider commitment to working with policing and other stakeholders to reduce preventable harm on UK roads.

Jones has placed road safety at the heart of her agenda, prioritising action against dangerous driving, tougher enforcement and a reduction in deaths and serious injuries on local roads. The scale of the challenge is clear from figures covering October 2024 to September 2025, during which 1,286 people were killed or seriously injured across the two areas. A dedicated Roads Policing Tasking Team, unveiled by Jones in March 2026, now targets dangerous driving and high-risk collision hotspots, focusing on the Fatal Five: speeding, drink and drug driving, mobile phone use, seatbelt non-compliance and careless driving.

In TyreSafe's view, illegal and badly maintained tyres – alongside general vehicle upkeep – deserve greater prominence within a joined-up road safety strategy that builds on existing enforcement and education programmes. The partnership opens the door to joint work between TyreSafe and the Commissioner's office on raising public awareness, encouraging responsible driving and supporting efforts to prevent avoidable road incidents. It also highlights how enforcement, education and prevention can work together, helping motorists recognise their obligations and the serious risks posed by unsafe tyres.

Crime prevention and making Hampshire and the Isle of Wight among the safest places to live nationally have also been flagged as priorities by the Commissioner. TyreSafe intends to use the partnership to back broader road safety work in the region while deepening its collaboration with policing and other stakeholders across the country, all in support of its Vision Zero goal of eliminating harm to road users caused by illegal and poorly maintained tyres.

Jones said, “Tyre safety is an essential part of keeping our roads safe. Illegal and poorly maintained tyres can put drivers, passengers and other road users at serious risk, and it is important that we do more to raise awareness of these dangers. I welcome the opportunity to work with TyreSafe to help educate drivers, encourage regular tyre checks and support efforts to prevent avoidable collisions. By working together on education, prevention and enforcement, we can help make Hampshire and the Isle of Wight’s roads safer for everyone.”

Stuart Lovatt, Chairman, TyreSafe, said, “Working with police forces and Police and Crime Commissioners is an important part of our ambition to reduce tyre-related incidents and make our roads safer. Our four strategic goals set out the changes we believe are needed, from improving enforcement and driver education to strengthening the evidence available to policymakers. We welcome the opportunity to work with Donna Jones and her team to explore how we can support greater awareness of tyre safety and encourage practical action to address the risks posed by illegal and poorly maintained tyres.”

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Kumho Tire USA continues to strengthen its position as a major supplier to automakers worldwide, now providing original equipment tyres to over 40 vehicle platforms across nine brands in North America, including Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Audi and Volkswagen. The expansion reflects growing confidence among manufacturers in the company's engineering and product quality.

The tyre maker was recently chosen as the exclusive OE supplier for Hyundai IONIQ 5 vehicles joining Waymo's next-generation robotaxi fleet in the United States. Such autonomous fleets require tyres that maintain consistent performance across thousands of miles of continuous use, with durability, efficiency and ride comfort proving essential. The Crugen EV HP71 was developed to meet both the demands of high-utilisation fleets and the specific requirements of electric vehicles.

Kumho also secured OE supply deals for select Nissan Rogue and Frontier models sold across North America, extending its longstanding relationship with the automaker. The Rogue will carry the Crugen HP71 all-season touring tyre, while the Frontier will be fitted with the new Road Venture HT all-season highway-terrain tyre, strengthening Kumho's foothold in the SUV and pickup segments.

The Crugen HP71 offers quiet, comfortable driving with year-round capability for CUV and SUV owners, using wide circumferential grooves and micro-serration technology for wet traction and hydroplaning resistance. Its EV variant accommodates heavier electric vehicles, reduces rolling resistance, handles instant torque and incorporates K-Silent sound-absorbing foam. The Road Venture HT, built for pickups and SUVs, delivers improved wet and snow traction and a 10 percent tread-life gain over its predecessor, along with Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake certification.

Shawn Denlein, President – Sales and Marketing, Kumho Tire USA, said, “We are excited to continue strengthening our OE partnerships through new fitments with both Nissan and Hyundai. The Crugen HP71 and its EV counterpart, along with the Road Venture HT, were engineered to deliver reliable, consistent performance for SUV and pick-up drivers. These selections reflect the confidence both Nissan and Hyundai place in KUMHO's engineering and manufacturing expertise.”

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Continental has introduced a Collector's Edition of its Grand Prix 5000 S TR road tyre, a benchmark product developed alongside Tadej Pogačar, the multiple World Champion and Tour de France winner. The limited release sits within the company's ‘Share the Road’ campaign, which seeks to advance road safety, mutual respect and harmonious coexistence among all road users while delivering top-tier performance.

At the heart of the effort is ‘Pogi’, a figure the brand and Pogačar devised together. Appearing across a set of animated stories, the character conveys the central idea that the roads belong to everyone. Each limited-edition tyre package also includes a physical Pogi collectible, extending the character beyond the screen.

The 30-622 tyre carries custom Pogačar branding, including a dedicated Pogi logo and hundreds of miniature Tadej Pogačar logos worked subtly into the Grand Prix 5000 S TR lettering. It retains Continental's benchmark technologies – the BlackChili Compound, Vectran Breaker, Active Comfort Technology and Lazer Grip – and is aimed at both cycling enthusiasts and collectors.

Hannah Ferle, Road Product Manager, Continental Tires, said, “The trust placed in us by world-class athletes like Tadej is both an honour and an incentive. With the Grand Prix 5000 S TR Pogačar Edition, we wanted to bring together our race-proven road performance with a meaningful initiative. Every tyre is crafted with precision to deliver the optimal balance of speed, grip and reliability while celebrating our shared commitment to making roads safer for every rider.”

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DUNLOP has become the first-ever Presenting Partner of the Goodwood Revival, cementing its place in the event’s history after an exceptionally successful partnership at this year’s festival. The three-day event, held from 18 to 20 September, attracted 150,000 attendees from 172 countries and marked the iconic tyre manufacturer’s most prominent presence at the circuit in nearly eight decades.

The Revival provided DUNLOP with an unparalleled platform to celebrate its rich motorsport legacy and connect with a global audience of enthusiasts, collectors and industry professionals. Its presence represented a significant milestone, returning the brand to the Goodwood Motor Circuit nearly 80 years after it first supported the venue’s opening in 1948. The comprehensive activation featured a 600-square-metre exhibition stand, VIP hospitality adjacent to the pit lane and prominent event and circuit branding throughout the weekend.

At the DUNLOP stand in the Revival’s Earls Court motor show, around 25,000 visitors experienced the brand first-hand across all three days, drawn by a trio of Ford GT MkIIs that dominated the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. Attendees engaged directly with DUNLOP’s heritage, innovation and commitment to motorsport excellence, while the event’s international turnout underscored the universal appeal of the brand’s story and its enduring position within global motorsport culture. The response from visitors was overwhelming, with the activation highlighting DUNLOP’s history and racing legacy in a unique way.

The inaugural year as Presenting Partner has established a blueprint for future collaboration, resonating with an audience that values heritage, authenticity and engineering excellence. As DUNLOP strengthens its position within global motorsport, the Goodwood Revival partnership stands as a cornerstone activation, celebrating the brand’s legendary status while positioning it as an innovator for the future.

Dennis Wilstermann, Marketing Manager, DUNLOP, said, “Our stand was consistently busy throughout the three days. The level of interest in the DUNLOP brand was remarkable, and the conversations we had with customers, fans and partners were genuinely positive. We are already looking forward to returning to Goodwood Revival in 2027. We cannot wait to return to the Goodwood Revival in 2027. This year has been a powerful reminder of why Goodwood Revival matters to DUNLOP – and why DUNLOP matters to Goodwood Revival."

Hiroshi Hamada, Manging Director, Chairman and CEO, Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH, said, “This was our first year at Goodwood Revival as Presenting Partner, and it was an unqualified success for us. DUNLOP returning to Goodwood with such a strong presence after so many years is a story in itself – one that validates our commitment to motorsport heritage and innovation.”

The Duke of Richmond CBE DL said, “We were delighted to welcome DUNLOP as presenting partner of Goodwood Revival this year. Having been an integral part of racing here for almost 80 years, the partnership reflects a shared heritage stretching back to 1948, when it was among the original supporters of the Goodwood Motor Circuit. From DUNLOP’s hugely popular stand in Earl's Court, featuring the Ford GT MkIIs that famously finished 1-2-3 at Le Mans in 1966, to its presentation of Sunday's flagship Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration race, the partnership was a fitting celebration of our shared history and passion for motorsport. We look forward to continuing that relationship in the years to come.”

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