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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Webfleet, the fleet management arm of Bridgestone, used the IAA Transportation event to introduce its Commercial Trip Monitor, a free online benchmarking tool that assesses how easily vans and trucks move through 32 major European cities. Initial results suggest operating conditions are growing tougher in numerous urban centres.

The monitor refreshes monthly, drawing on anonymised, aggregated commercial vehicle data to track shifts in fleet operating conditions over time. Because it examines repeat business journeys rather than general traffic, it offers operators and city stakeholders a clearer picture of where urban operations are improving or deteriorating. Even minor changes in reach or idling can reduce productivity, raise fuel use and increase emissions.

Two core metrics underpin the platform. The 15-Minute Reach metric shows how far a typical van or truck travels in a fixed quarter-hour, with higher scores indicating greater distance covered. Idling Intensity measures the share of a journey spent stationary with the engine running, where a higher percentage signals more wasted time. Users can rank cities, compare performance and follow trends.

Early 2026 data revealed sharp contrasts. Zaragoza, Apeldoorn and Utrecht posted the strongest average 15-Minute Reach rankings, while Berlin, Paris and Kraków were the most difficult. Poland was the only country where every analysed city improved year-on-year while idling stayed stable or fell. Rome and Milan improved on reach, yet Milan recorded Europe’s highest Idling Intensity at 21 percent, against Paris’s 16 percent. Berlin finished last overall, with Munich, Leipzig and Hamburg covering 4.4 percent, 4.3 percent and 3.3 percent less ground respectively than in 2025. Users can also examine trip volumes, distance, CO₂ emissions, fuel consumption and local conditions.

Webfleet developed the methodology with mobility intelligence specialist Mobito, leveraging over 25 years of fleet experience and one of Europe’s largest connected vehicle ecosystems.

Jan-Maarten de Vries, President – Fleet Management Solutions, Bridgestone, said, “The Webfleet Commercial Trip Monitor provides a clearer picture of urban mobility through the lens of fleet operations. Commercial vehicles do not experience cities the way commuters and consumers do. They follow different routes, operate under different regulations, make multiple stops and load and unload. When conditions change due to congestion, roadworks, low-emission zones, regulation or major events, fleet businesses often feel the impact first. Even relatively small changes can affect productivity, operating costs, fuel use and emissions.”

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The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) strengthened its ties with the worldwide rubber sector by attending the 12th International Rubber Glove Conference & Exhibition (IRGCE) 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, which ran from 8 to 10 September 2026. With ‘Synergising Innovation: Redefine the Future of Rubber Glove Ecosystem’ as its theme, the gathering drew together manufacturers, technologists, industry leaders and other players from around the world.

Their discussions revolved around innovation, collaboration and sustainable growth across the rubber glove ecosystem. Dr Suttipong Angthong, ANRPC Secretary-General, addressed the plenary session ‘Economic Synergies and Sustainable Initiatives for the Glove Ecosystem’, delivering a presentation titled ‘Navigating the Global Natural Rubber Outlook’. His remarks covered major trends affecting the world natural rubber market and what they mean for glove producers.

Dr Angthong and Dr Lekshmi Nair of ANRPC also used the event's sidelines for high-level talks with international partners. With the Latin American Rubber Association (SLTC), the focus was on possible Asian-Latin American cooperation among natural rubber-producing nations, especially sharing knowledge and building capacity through experiences and best practices. A joint session with the China Synthetic Rubber Industry Association (CSRIA) pinpointed areas for collaboration in both natural and synthetic rubber, such as exchanging data and publications and taking part in one another's events.

Talks with TechnoBiz centred on possible partnerships for organising rubber industry events alongside programmes in ANRPC member countries. Altogether, the engagements confirmed ANRPC's dedication to international cooperation, knowledge exchange and strategic partnerships, creating new openings with partners across Asia and Latin America.

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Hankook Tire has secured a multi-year original equipment agreement with Schmitz Cargobull, Europe’s foremost trailer manufacturer. The arrangement commenced on 1 July 2026 and will continue through June 2030, marking Hankook’s re-entry into the European commercial vehicle tyre original equipment market.

Under the deal, Schmitz Cargobull will fit Hankook trailer tyres ex-works on a portion of its newly built semi-trailers and trailers. The tyre range encompasses the Smart Line series for long-distance haulage, Smart Flex for regional and local distribution and Smart Work for off-road construction applications.

(From left): Andreas Schmitz, CEO, Schmitz Cargobull AG, and Jongho Park, President and COO, Hankook Tire Europe

The agreement also extends to the used-trailer segment. Schmitz Cargobull produces curtainsiders, dry freight containers, refrigerated semi-trailers, container chassis and tippers across three German plants plus facilities in Great Britain, Spain, Lithuania, Romania and Turkey.

Jongho Park, President and COO, Hankook Tire Europe, said, “The development of the European logistics market opens up new potential for close partnerships in the commercial vehicle tyre segment, which is increasingly important to us from a strategic perspective. As an industry leader, Schmitz Cargobull has particularly high standards in terms of quality, performance, efficiency and sustainability. We are proud that our tyres meet all these criteria and are delighted about the strategic partnership.”

Andreas Schmitz, CEO, Schmitz Cargobull, said, “With Hankook, we are gaining a capable partner whose high-quality tyres are the perfect complement to our portfolio. In addition to the product qualities, reliability of supply for our European production sites was an important consideration. The agreement will enable us to offer the right tyre solutions for different applications, whether long-distance transport, regional transport or use on construction sites, while also taking into consideration our customers’ requirements for cost-effectiveness and operational reliability.”

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Pirelli will bring the E1089 soft-compound development front tyre to Moto2 riders for the Austrian Grand Prix next weekend. The tyre, which debuted at Aragón and drew positive feedback, shares the SC1's structure but uses a different compound. At the Red Bull Ring, with its many braking zones and heavy decelerations, the E1089 could deliver greater stability, especially under braking. The range SC1 completes the front allocation, allowing riders to compare both options directly.

For the rear, Pirelli is confirming last year's allocation, offering the SCX supersoft. In 2024, as the E0126 development specification, it won both qualifying and the race. The range SC0 soft serves as the alternative, also present at the Red Bull Ring last year as a development solution and potentially useful if temperatures drop.

In Moto3, both axles will have the SC1 soft and SC2 medium compounds. In 2025, Argentina's Valentin Perrone (KTM) took Saturday's pole and Sunday's victory using the SC2 front and SC1 rear, the latter unanimously selected by the entire grid, while the two front options were chosen equally.

The Red Bull Ring is atypical, just over four kilometres long with only 11 corners, eight right and three left. Its layout demands braking stability, strong corner entry and good traction out of slow corners. The asphalt generally offers low grip with limited wear, and weather could matter greatly, as this year's race falls in early autumn rather than mid-August, meaning potentially lower temperatures.

Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli Motorcycle Racing Director, said, “The Austrian Grand Prix represents a further opportunity to continue the development work on Moto2™ front tyres, which began in Aragón and continued at Misano. On a track that differs significantly from MotorLand Aragón, with severe braking, strong acceleration and few high-speed corners, we will once again make the E1089 soft front specification available. This will allow us to broaden its evaluation and continue the comparison with the range SC1. The objective is to gather further data and feedback that will be useful for the development of this solution.

“At the rear, we are confirming last year’s allocation with the SCX, which also originated as a development tyre. Introduced in 2025 as the E0126 specification and subsequently added to the range, it is now the category benchmark. If weather conditions are favourable, it will be interesting to assess the performance gains compared with last season, both over a flying lap and across race distance. In the event of lower temperatures, riders will also have the range SC0 soft at their disposal, which was introduced at the Red Bull Ring in 2025 as the E0125 development solution. The Austrian event will also be particularly relevant looking ahead. On the Monday following the race, the Spielberg circuit will host a private test session dedicated to the tyres that will be used by the premier class next season, providing an important opportunity to continue data collection and development work ahead of Pirelli’s debut as the World Championship single tyre supplier.”

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