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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Bridgestone and Kwik Fit are renewing their presence at The British Motor Show for 2026, stepping in as official sponsors of the Live Arena and Supercar Paddock. Their involvement marks the fifth year these two companies have powered some of the event’s most energetic and crowd-drawing features. Central to the show’s appeal, the Live Arena delivers high-octane displays and gripping stunt performances, while the Supercar Paddock offers rare access to an elite collection of supercars. Together, these zones have become defining elements of the visitor experience, reflecting a shared dedication to excitement, engineering excellence and road safety.

Throughout the 2026 event, attendees can look forward to a packed schedule of arena action and an impressive supercar showcase. Bridgestone and Kwik Fit specialists will be present to engage with the public, offering practical advice on tyre care, vehicle checks and overall driver preparedness. This collaboration underscores a sustained alignment between the brands and the show’s mission to inspire and educate automotive enthusiasts of all generations. Scheduled for 21 to 23 August 2026, the show anticipates a significant turnout, presenting an ideal platform for exhibitors and sponsors to engage with both consumers and the broader motoring sector in a direct and meaningful way.

Drew Chapman, Consumer Sales Director, Bridgestone UK, said, “We’re thrilled to return to the British Motor Show with Kwik Fit for our fifth consecutive year. Spanning three exciting days, the event offers a fantastic day out for families and passionate car fans alike. Performance is at the core of everything we do at Bridgestone, so we’re proud to be at the centre of the action as sponsors of the Bridgestone in partnership with Kwik Fit Live Arena and the Supercar Paddock.”

Andy Lane, Marketing Director, Kwik Fit, said, “We’re proud to be partnering with Bridgestone once again at the British Motor Show. The thrilling stunts and extreme performance in the Live Arena and Supercar Paddock may seem a world away from everyday motoring, but there is a common thread. All drivers need to have confidence in their car – whether up on two wheels in the arena or popping to the shops on the road. This event is the perfect place to connect with motorists of all ages and share how our expertise, combined with the quality and performance of Bridgestone tyres, helps keep the nation’s drivers safe on the road.”

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Rally Sweden, the only event on the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar contested entirely on snow and ice, returns to the wintry forests surrounding Umeå from 12 to 15 February. As Round 2 of the 2026 season, it marks the first true winter challenge for Hankook Tire, the championship’s exclusive tyre supplier. With approximately 300 kilometres of special stages divided into 18 high-speed tests, crews will push Rally1 cars to nearly 200 kmph and 8,500 rpm, making precision car control, reliable braking and unerring tyre grip the deciding factors in what has been a WRC fixture since 1950.

For this uniquely demanding environment, Hankook equips competitors with the Winter i*Pike SR10W, a competition tyre engineered specifically for frozen surfaces. Its specially developed ice-rally stud pins and asymmetric tread pattern ensure powerful traction, stable cornering grip and consistent braking on both snow-covered and icy roads. Following a strong debut at the 2025 running of Rally Sweden, where drivers and officials commended its performance, the tyre returns with proven credentials and confidence that it will again meet the extreme demands of the frozen north.

The championship narrative intensifies on home ground for Oliver Solberg. The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing driver arrives in Sweden as the early series leader after his historic victory at Rallye Monte-Carlo, where he became the youngest winner of the event in the 21st century. With momentum and national expectations behind him, the young Swede now aims to extend his title challenge on home snow.

Hankook’s involvement in WRC extends beyond tyre supply. Since becoming the exclusive tyre provider for all classes in 2025, the company has continued to reinforce its global motorsport credentials. By channelling technical insights from more than 70 racing series into product development, Hankook systematically transforms real-world performance data into advancements for ultra-high-performance road tyres, strengthening its technology leadership in both competition and commercial spheres.

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Tyres Europe is actively participating in the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) Working Party on Noise and Tyres (GRBP), where efforts are underway to establish viable tyre abrasion limits. The organisation is contributing to the UNECE Task Force on Tyre Abrasion, which is advancing a proposed Regulation introducing abrasion requirements for type approval. This follows prior agreement on measurement methodologies, with the current focus shifting towards setting specific abrasion limits for passenger car tyres.

By providing ongoing technical input, Tyres Europe aims to support the creation of abrasion rules that are not only ambitious from an environmental standpoint but also practically enforceable. The organisation stresses the importance of globally harmonised standards for tyres, a product traded worldwide, to ensure consistent regulatory compliance and prevent market fragmentation. According to Secretary General Adam McCarthy, well-aligned international rules are also critical for the successful application of the Euro 7 framework within the European Union. Tyres Europe remains committed to contributing to the UNECE work programme to help shape abrasion provisions that can be effectively implemented and progressively refined over time.

Adam McCarthy, Secretary General, Tyres Europe, said, “Reducing tyre abrasion is an important environmental objective and it requires rules that are not only ambitious but also enforceable in practice. For a global product like tyres, globally aligned standards help deliver consistent compliance outcomes and avoid fragmentation across markets. This is also essential to support effective implementation under the Euro 7 framework in the EU.”

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Arun Mammen, chairman of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA), was part of the prime minister’s official delegation during a recent visit to Malaysia aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and economic co-operation between the two countries.

The visit provided a platform for engagement between Indian and Malaysian industry leaders across emerging and strategic sectors. Malaysian businesses expressed interest in collaborating with Indian companies in recycling and sustainability, technical textiles, defence components and advanced manufacturing equipment.

During the meetings, Mammen outlined the growth trajectory of the Indian tyre industry, citing rising domestic demand, export potential and an increased focus on innovation, sustainability and circular economy practices.

Industry representatives in Malaysia signalled interest in expanding partnerships, pointing to scope for greater industry-to-industry co-operation in the coming years.

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