As I speak with industry members, regulators and legislators I continue to be stunned by the lack of appreciation of the very critical role that tyres play in our societies.

Governments bleat about fuel security “investing” precious currency to prop up petroleum fuel storage and production in the face of the ever-expanding development of electric vehicles and more recently the advent of hydrogen as a viable fuel with thanks to the PV (solar) industry advancements. Tyres? What do you mean tyres? Without tyres our societies would grind to a halt in the near term. How are they not a strategic consideration?

Our industries (tyre, road freight transport, mining, public transport and leisure) are facing sufficient difficulties with COVID as well as international shipping challenges to be faced with continued ignorance and negligence by our legislators and regulators.

Please review your countries legislative requirements in regards tyre inflation for light vehicles (say <4,500 kgs) and then the same requirement for heavy vehicles (>4,500 kgs). What do you find?

Mostly I think you will find that tyre inflation pressures are regulated for light vehicles via the vehicle manufacturers tyre placard. For heavy vehicles there is little, if any, such requirement. To illustrate the yawning gap between reality and regulation one peak heavy transport regulatory body published a procedure for roller brake testing for heavy vehicles. The procedure details in minute detail the requirements of the pneumatic system on the truck under test yet merely stated “tyres should be inflated.” As everyone in the tyre industry understands a tyre can be inflated at low pressures totally unrelated to actual operating pressures. What connects the brakes to the pavement? Tyres!

I’ve spoken at length about the absolute requirement for a tyre to be appropriately inflated. This is basic physics, the air molecules captured within the tyre’s air chamber actually support the applied loads. If there are insufficient molecules of air the tyre will be overworked so overheat and so enter a failure phase. There are other requirements for the inflation being the actual shaping of the tyre to interface with the pavement at the optimum level, read traction. A wide based tyre requires special construction to maintain the tread platform shape. If the inflation pressure is not at the manufacturer’s specified level will this critical shape be maintained? Then it is not only the performance of the tyre in question but also the safety of the vehicle and that of the general public in the areas this vehicle operates in.

The extensive report produced by the TNO Organisation (TNO 2013 R10986) detailed not only the exhaust emissions as a result of inappropriately inflated tyres but also the road safety outcomes. This paper is now just over eight years old but the situation with real time pressure monitoring for heavy vehicles remains as it was, 50 years or more ago. WHY? Are our regulators asleep at the wheel (or tyre some may say) through entrenched inaction and ignorance? Or is it that there are just “no votes” in tyres and everyone just ASSuMes their tyres are “ok”?

EV tyres

With the advent of electric vehicles, the ramifications for tyres are huge. In the past internal combustion engines (ICE) built up torque over a rev range, drivelines multiplied the torque developed and for heavy vehicles there is a sweet spot for torque. The multi speed gearboxes assisted the driver to maintain forward motion within this torque sweet spot. Electric motors apply maximum torque over most of their operating range. From the instant the power is applied by the driver (be that human or robotic) the tyres are under peak stress. Any deficiency within the tyre will be magnified with detrimental results. Such a deficiency may be of a manufacturing nature but this is largely controllable by the manufacturer. What is not currently controllable is the human maintenance factor, the applied inflation pressure.

Tyre manufacturers have for as long as they have been manufacturing tyres been informative about the criticality of appropriate tyre inflation. There are untold charts and pictorials showing how a tyre is influenced by under or over inflation yet our regulators and legislators continue to keep their heads buried deep out of the light. WHY when tyres are such a critical component of our modern-day motor vehicle? I would charge ignorance and negligence on one hand but then on the other suggest that because tyres work as well as they do, are as forgiving (by nature of their fundamental flexible design) our “guiding powers” can focus on other trendy and glamorous aspects such as stability control or autonomous braking. An important question for these people to consider and respond to; “what item on the vehicle transfers the power (and so directly influence these vehicle control systems) from the vehicle to the pavement (be that power tractive or retardation)? Yes of course, the humble tyre.

So, when a government sponsored or publicly funded body involved in road safety ignores tyres (for whatever reason, ignorance or negligence) are they really serving the interests of our communities and societies or are they just -- I should stop there but you know where I’m going!

The technology to monitor tyre pressures in real time is and has now been available for decades. The TREAD Act (USA) mandated tyre pressure monitoring (TPMS) for light vehicles in the USA in the year 2000. This year TPMS gets a key for its birthday, yes well and truly a mature product (some may say adult) and industry yet, our regulators and legislators continue to ignore the humble tyre.

The upsides of maintaining tyres at an appropriate pressure I’ve discussed previously, all positive. The same detail has been published in many papers (such as the TNO paper!) but we as an industry continue to live in the past whilst adopting hi-tech solutions for other aspects of our industries, e.g., GPS tracking, fatigue monitoring, reefer monitoring and control, real time video surveillance of the drivers and the surrounding traffic conditions. Why? To me there is little respect paid to the critical role the tyre provides for us. So many users do not consider how the tyre works for them and why the simplest of tasks will enhance the performance, yes, I speak of inflation maintenance. Without respect the tyre will never be recognised for the contribution it has made and continues to make.

I publicly and openly challenge our tyre manufacturers as a collective to mount an education campaign to enhance the level of respect the general public has about tyres. The TIA (US) and USTMA have local campaigns on behalf of their members but I consider that until the tyre manufacturers as a collective industry actual improve the level of respect for the humble tyre we will be chasing our tails on a race to the bottom. Our tyres deserve better!

What about Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental, BKT, Dunlop, ZC Rubber, Hankook, Pirelli, Toyo, Sumitomo, Yokohama, Kumho, MRF, Apollo, Nokian, JKTyres, Cooper, Titan, Linglong, Triangle et al?

Remember success does not reward a lack of action. (TT)

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The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company expanded its all-season portfolio with the Vector All Season 4, launched in late April 2026 and aimed at a broader span of European vehicles, from premium models to electric vehicles. Aimed at motorists who prefer a single set of tyres for the whole year, the product builds on almost five decades of Goodyear all-season development and debuts WeatherReady Technology, an engineering platform created to keep performance steady as conditions shift.

Independent testing has already brought the tyre attention. Tyre Reviews named it ‘Test Winner’ in its most recent all-season comparison, and Auto Bild Allrad likewise placed it first as ‘Test Winner’, drawing attention to exemplary snow traction plus second-place finishes in snow handling, dry handling and rolling resistance.

For regions where climate, roads and regulations favour all-weather rubber, the Vector All Season 4 serves as a premium choice for drivers wanting readiness for dry, wet and milder winter conditions year-round while easing the hassle of seasonal swaps such as workshop appointments, scheduling and off-season storage. Balanced dry, wet and winter capability now reaches rim diameters up to 23 inches, opening premium year-round convenience to segments that previously lacked an all-season option.

The new tyre sits alongside Goodyear’s existing all-weather range, including the Vector 4Seasons Gen-3, which in 2024 became the first all-season tyre to earn ADAC’s overall ‘Good’ rating. The Gen-3 remains especially suited to smaller cars, with most SKUs at 16 inches and below, pairing strong wet and snow performance with efficiency. Goodyear’s all-weather work dates to 1977 and the Tiempo, which the company calls the world’s first all-weather tyre. With the technology’s 50th anniversary nearing in 2027, Goodyear continues refining all-season tyres for evolving European driving conditions.

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Hankook Tire’s new Winter i*cept evo 4 delivered a strong debut in Auto Bild’s major 2026 winter tyre test, finishing joint third among 50 models in size 245/45 R19. The premium tyre earned an overall score of 1.4 and an ‘exemplary’ rating reserved for only the four highest-placed tyres. Testing was carried out on a BMW 5 Series, with two tyres sharing first place and two sharing third after consistently strong results across all 16 disciplines.

The publication’s test panel characterised the Hankook model as a newcomer combining a strong cost profile with precise dry-road handling. Before the full test, all 50 tyres underwent wet and snow braking comparisons, and only the 20 with the shortest combined stopping distances progressed. Hankook had already secured fourth place in qualifying with a combined braking distance of 65.5 metres.

Its individual results comprised 36.3 metres when braking from 80 kmph in wet conditions and 29.2 metres from 50 kmph on snow. The outcome marks a successful test debut for the Winter i*cept evo 4, placing it among the leading performers in the 2026 evaluation.

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Apollo Tyres’ five manufacturing plants in India have received Five-Star Ratings and Sword of Honour awards for 2026 from the British Safety Council, recognising their occupational health and safety management.

The awards follow the council’s Five-Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit, which assesses an organisation’s safety policies, processes and practices through documentation reviews, stakeholder interviews and sampling of operational activities.

The Sword of Honour recognises organisations that achieve the maximum five stars in the council’s independent audit and demonstrate a strong culture of health and safety across their operations. The 2026 awards mark the 47th consecutive year in which the council has presented the honour.

Rajeev Kumar Sinha, Chief Manufacturing And Sustainability Officer at Apollo Tyres, said: “Safety is a core value at Apollo Tyres and integral to everything we do. The recognition of all five of our manufacturing plants in India by the British Safety Council reflects our collective commitment to high standards of health and safety. While this achievement is a matter of pride, we remain focused on continuous improvement and fostering a culture where everyone takes ownership of safety and returns home safe every day.”

Peter McGettrick, Chairman of the British Safety Council, said: “On behalf of the board of trustees and staff of the British Safety Council I would like to congratulate Apollo Tyres on achieving the highest standards of its health and safety management. Achieving recognition of this sort takes absolute dedication and the utmost professionalism. We are proud to support you in your achievements and delighted we can contribute to your ongoing success.”

Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, added: “I would like to congratulate Apollo Tyres and its staff on this award, in tribute to their commitment to keeping their workplace safe and healthy and contributing to safeguarding the environment. All of the Sword award-winning organisations share a commitment and willingness to achieve the uppermost standards of health and safety. We thank Apollo Tyres for contributing to achieving our vision that no one should be injured or made ill through their work.”

The assessment period for the 2026 awards ran from  1 August 2025 to 31 July  2026. Award recipients also had to demonstrate to an independent adjudication panel a track record of good health and safety practices throughout their organisations, from the shopfloor to the boardroom.

Apollo Tyres manufactures tyres in India and Hungary and sells products under the Apollo and Vredestein brands in more than 100 countries.

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Michelin will present its newest trailer tyre, the 385/65 R22.5 X Multi T2, at stand D60 during RTX Scotland, scheduled for 18–19 November at Glasgow’s SEC. The Glasgow event marks the UK show debut for the tyre, which Michelin says offers 15 percent more mileage and six percent lower rolling resistance than the model it replaces.

Alongside the tyre, Michelin will highlight its Remix 2 process, an extension of its multi-life policy that permits a second retread and further regrooving. The company claims this can extend a tyre’s service life by as much as 375 percent. Remix 2 is presently undergoing trials with selected Michelin customers and builds on established retreading at the firm’s Stoke remanufacturing site.

Designed for regional and mixed transport, the X Multi T2 handles heavy loads and lateral forces during manoeuvring while remaining robust across varied conditions. It carries EU label ratings of B for rolling resistance, C for wet grip and A for external rolling noise, plus 3PMSF and M+S markings for winter suitability.

The combination of a second premium retread with up to three regroovings during service is central to Michelin’s multi-life proposition. Fleets gain greater value and mileage from each fitment, with the maximum safe distance potentially reaching 375 percent of a single-life Michelin tyre’s baseline.

Andrew French, B2B Sales Director at Michelin UK & Ireland, said, “We’re excited to be giving the X Multi T2 its UK debut at RTX Scotland. Enhancing our popular X Multi range, it’s another asset that can help hauliers go further for less as part of a well-managed tyre policy. The opportunity to showcase our Remix 2 offer, which can significantly boost the longevity of each tyre and reduce the total cost of ownership, underlines our commitment to maximising value.”

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