Smart mobility is as relevant as ever, with growing urbanisation rates in almost all countries across the globe. But the concept isn’t new. At least I recall reading about the future of driving when I was very young, and a university project concluded that in the future, cars would be able to connect to each other and slide onto some sort of rail system when driving on the highway, so nobody would have to worry about steering or speeding when covering the long stretches of the journey. Not surprising, the project couldn’t have been more wrong in its conclusion. But why didn’t it work? It would have reduced accidents, pollutant emissions, road wear and maintenance costs, and it would have probably been quite easy to develop guiding chips and software to let cars in and out of the chain.

Well, the answer is simple, and is proven by the fact that car sales are still going up worldwide in spite of an ever-growing range of alternative transportation methods available to the buyers: freedom. As global wealth keeps increasing, all societies can recognize that the first luxury people growing out of poverty take is to buy a car, in many cases even before considering taking out a mortgage to buy a house. Why do they do that? Obviously to signal their increased wealth to the people around them (it’s harder to show if your house is bought or rented), but also to enjoy the freedom of being able to go exactly where they want to go and when. In these corona times being able to move about without bumping into others in public transportation is of course also an important factor. If this wasn’t the case, car sales would be dropping rapidly. Public transportation is cheaper, if you compare it to total cost of ownership of a car it’s easy math, and in many cases it’s also faster and easier. Plus, you can be productive getting some work done or enjoying a good rest when you don’t have to sit at the wheel in a traffic jam.

For those who care about global warming and reducing the environmental impact, there’s even further incentive to get rid of the car, but still, this is not what we see in the new car sales figures – although you could argue that some people buy a new car because it pollutes less than the old one.

Bicycles

With all the new technology, it will be very interesting to see how smart mobility will be implemented in cities across the globe, and if it will change the trend for good. After all, it’s be big cities with massive population numbers that will make a difference for the planet. If we look at a city like Copenhagen, it has for many years focused on being the world’s best city to ride a bicycle in, and it has implemented many innovative structures allowing cyclists to zip from one place to another in a matter of minutes with minimal need to stop along the way. Some places bridges have been built just to cater to cyclists. No doubt you can get around faster and cheaper in Copenhagen if you ride a bike than by any other means of transportation.

Another thing that is becoming increasingly interesting in the big cities is the drone technology, now we have seen Chinese firefighters putting out high-rise fires using drones controlled from the ground, and many places they have also begun working as parcel or food delivery agents. But is there a viable case to argue that we will all be flying in private drone vessels instead of driving in cars in the coming decade? I wouldn’t bet my money on it. First of all, it would take long until the general public would trust a drone manufacturer enough to not fear dropping to the ground or being flung into a building or another drone mid-air at any moment. Second of all, they would most definitely run on electricity, which we know from electric cars means very heavy batteries and/or short operation times. Probably in colder regions you would also struggle with much lower performance during winter, and possibly weather conditions not allowing them to take off.

That’s another nightmare scenario – to be caught in a thunderstorm or hailstorm up in the air.

Naturally, the ultimate challenge would be that everyone would basically need to have a pilot license to operate them, and air traffic control would be an entirely new concept in this scenario. We have all seen movies like Stars Wars or The Fifth Element where flying vehicles somehow get into invisible lanes and layers, but it’s hard to see how that can go from fiction to reality.

Urban hubs

So, how can consumers most likely have their desire for freedom fulfilled within a smart mobility concept? Most likely by creating urban hubs or city line parking facilities, so it’s easy to take the car to, from, or between cities, but not inside them. At these hubs, you would park the car and jump on the next shuttle to anywhere in the city, or even ride a bike that you brought with you. Designing these hubs, along with ample green areas in the cities, is the only way that any city planner can create the grounds for real smart mobility, and not take people’s freedom away from them. Then the only thing left is to address the issue of the environmental impact caused by passenger cars, both combustion engine emissions and tyre pollution from wear during use and waste management at end of tyre life.

Tyre manufacturers don’t seem to be making huge changes to the technology yet, except for a few innovative products like the Michelin Tweel – and the ultimate challenge is of course that the vehicle so far has to be in contact with the road surface to move and handle satisfactorily. It’s hard to imagine any tyre concept where rubber against the road surface isn’t involved, and it’s also hard to imagine any tyre manufacturer supporting such a project, given the massive investments they have in their production equipment, which isn’t easy to readjust to put out something else. Well, at least not any serious manufacturer – there was a Chinese plant that stopped producing tyres this year to start producing face masks instead because of corona demand, but that probably says something about the quality of both products coming out of that factory, and it makes me very interested in reading their mission statement.

Ultimately, for tyre manufacturers to start investing in any game changing product development, we would have to see a development like we have seen with British Tobacco actually advertising against smoking – which is very much in line with the trends of the day but doesn’t seem rational from a business perspective. So, to conclude, I’ll venture a bet that we won’t see any drastic changes in how much smarter our mobility options will become until we either see a scenario that will allow people to experience the same level of freedom as owning a car, drastically reducing the environmental impact from driving and tyre waste, and/or creating cities where it utterly doesn’t make any sense to drive instead of hopping on the city’s smart mobility system, whatever that might turn out to be.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB (publ) has disputed a request from Infiniteria Sweden AB and Infiniteria Europe Sàrl to terminate the company’s ongoing reorganisation. In a statement submitted to the Gothenburg District Court on 22 April, Enviro argued no grounds exist to end the process, originally approved on 27 February 2026. A creditors’ meeting on 18 March saw no opposition to the reorganisation continuing.

The dispute stems from Enviro’s decision to terminate the joint venture agreements with Infiniteria under Swedish law, calling them burdensome and loss‑making. Infiniteria filed a termination request on 15 April, which Enviro answered on 22 April. Enviro disputes the request and several supporting claims.

Enviro states the joint venture caused its financial difficulties, while its business plan shows opportunities to build a profitable enterprise using its patented technology. Infiniteria has asserted a preliminary damages claim of approximately EUR 84 million, but Enviro notes the claim is unsubstantiated and partially overlaps with ongoing arbitration announced on 6 February.

Enviro points to contractual liability caps, including EUR 3 million in the marketing and agency agreement and EUR 2 million in the license agreement. Infiniteria has not shown why these caps should not apply. Regarding the license agreement under English law, Enviro maintains termination was lawful, meaning Infiniteria’s exclusive right to Enviro’s technology has ceased.

Despite the legal conflict, Enviro reports strong global interest. A North American feasibility study is progressing faster than expected, and licensing dialogues are ongoing with around 10 stakeholders. Enviro remains determined to build long‑term value without the former joint venture’s constraints.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Hankook Tire has released a new brand film titled ‘Formula E Rewind’, inspired by the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The company serves as the exclusive tyre supplier for the global all-electric racing series, which is organised by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile. The latest cinematic work follows a previous Formula E brand film introduced in April last year.

That earlier production focused on Hankook’s advanced motorsports technologies and research supported by cutting-edge infrastructure. Its high production quality earned a Silver Prize in Sound Design at the Seoul Video Advertising Festival 2025, one of South Korea’s largest advertising awards. The newly unveiled film employs a distinctive rewind visual technique, shifting attention from racing outcomes back to the origin of technology. It emphasises that every race starts with the tyre while promoting the innovative ‘iON’ brand, the world’s first full lineup of electric vehicle tyres.

The film dynamically showcases the next-generation electric racing machine GEN3 Evo, which reaches 322 kilometres per hour and accelerates from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in just 1.86 seconds. It also features the official electric racing tyre ‘iON Race’, delivering a powerful sense of speed. By reconstructing race sequences in reverse, the video creates a fresh narrative that boosts viewer immersion. The slogan ‘Where it all begins’ and a composite logo reinforce Hankook’s positioning as a key Formula E partner.

The brand film will be distributed across Hankook’s owned media platforms, including its global website, YouTube and Instagram, aiming to engage motorsports fans, EV users and future mobility consumers.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Solvay has significantly expanded a global framework agreement with IMI, accelerating the installation of connected industrial sensors throughout its worldwide manufacturing network. Under the extended partnership, IMI remains Solvay’s preferred supplier, with over 5,000 sensors already deployed across 25 sites in 11 countries. The ongoing rollout is enhancing operational reliability and efficiency while simultaneously lowering costs and reducing the company’s environmental impact.

The connected devices, classified as Industrial Internet of Things sensors, continuously monitor vibration and temperature on critical machinery. This real‑time data allows Solvay teams to track asset performance, prevent unexpected breakdowns, and schedule maintenance precisely when needed. The group intends to expand the sensor network to 9,000 units by 2027, reinforcing its shift from traditional time‑based maintenance to a predictive, data‑driven approach.

This sensor initiative is central to Solvay’s Essential for Generations strategy, which prioritizes operational excellence and sustainability. By leveraging real‑time information, the company predicts equipment failures, cuts repair expenses, and limits energy losses and waste. Having scaled from just a few hundred sensors in 2023 to more than 5,000 installed globally, Solvay is building a more resilient and reliable industrial footprint across all regions.

Lanny Duvall, Chief Operations Officer at Solvay, said “Digitalisation is reshaping the way we run our plants. Expanding the use of connected sensors helps us make quicker and better-informed decisions that improve safety, reliability and energy efficiency – while also making our operations more competitive and cost‑effective. It’s a concrete accelerator of the operational excellence transformation we’re driving across Solvay as part of our Essential for Generations strategy.”

Diana Garcia, Global Business Development Manager, Digital Products at IMI, said, “The complexity of modern plant operations, coupled with constant pressure on margins, means the chemical industry cannot rely on manual inspections to ensure maintenance operations are efficient and effective. Our technology provides real‑time insights that support Solvay’s move towards predictive maintenance. We are pleased to deepen this successful collaboration.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Nexen Tire America has detailed how original equipment tyre development has shifted from a standalone process to an integrated engineering effort conducted alongside new vehicle design. The company explains that modern vehicle complexity, driven by electrification and advanced driver systems, requires tyre engineering to begin in parallel with suspension, chassis and electronic control development. This earlier collaboration allows tyre performance to be optimised for hybrid and electric vehicle demands such as noise reduction, load capacity and rolling resistance.

Aaron Neumann, Head of the Nexen Tire America Technical Center, describes how suppliers must now adopt faster development cycles and deeper technical collaboration. The traditional model of selecting off-the-shelf tyres has been replaced by purpose-built designs tuned to specific safety, handling and efficiency targets. Electric vehicles have added further criteria including range optimisation and tyre noise mitigation.

To manage these demands, Nexen has expanded its use of simulation and modelling technologies. Finite element analysis and data-driven tyre modelling allow engineers to evaluate performance early in the development cycle, reducing the number of physical prototypes required. Despite this digital focus, physical testing remains extensive and includes laboratory procedures such as high-speed endurance, rolling resistance, uniformity, noise and flat-spotting assessments.

On-road validation involves instrumented traction and braking tests, ride and handling evaluations, treadwear analysis and durability testing across varied surfaces and climates. Each tyre’s tread pattern, construction, footprint and profile are refined through iterative testing specific to the target vehicle. While some materials overlap with replacement tyres, original equipment fitments are engineered to balance performance, efficiency and comfort.

Over the past decade, Nexen Tire has more than doubled its original equipment portfolio in North America. This growth is attributed to an engineer-to-engineer collaboration model emphasising transparency and responsiveness. Many technologies developed for original equipment programmes, including advanced compounds and tread designs, are later incorporated into replacement tyres.

For consumers, these behind-the-scenes engineering efforts result in tyres more precisely matched to vehicle performance. Neumann notes that modern tyres rank among the most complex vehicle components, having to deliver safety, efficiency and comfort simultaneously across a wide range of conditions, even if that complexity remains largely invisible to drivers.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!