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 Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. has announced that a car equipped with its ADVAN flagship tyres claimed overall victory at the 2026 Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) Round 8 in Germany on 12 September. The ADVAN racing tyres delivered the grip and durability required to succeed in the demanding endurance event.

The winning entry was the No. 77 BMW M Motorsport car, fielded by Schubert Motorsport. It started from the front row, took the lead early and stayed with the front-runners throughout. After moving back ahead on lap 24, it resisted heavy pressure from closely pursuing rivals and crossed the line just 0.308 seconds clear of the second-place finisher.

This season marks the first collaboration between Yokohama Rubber and BMW M Motorsport in almost 40 years. The No. 77 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, featuring ADVAN’s ‘Red in Black’ livery, has been consistently competitive, winning Rounds 3 and 8 while finishing second in Rounds 6 and 7.

Following Round 9 on 13 September, the car leads the NLS Speed Trophy standings, awarded for the most points across all classes. The ‘Red in Black’ entry will seek to secure the trophy and the series title in October’s final round.

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FALKEN has launched its ‘Falken says fill up!’ promotion for 2026, marking the start of its established seasonal campaign. Running from 15 September to 30 November, buyers of four winter or all-season tyres sized 16 inches or above, excluding HGV tyres, can receive a reward worth EUR 20. The initiative operates across 14 European markets, including Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic, among others.

In Germany, participants may select either an Aral SuperCard or EnBW mobility+ charging credit. Beyond this immediate reward, FALKEN has partnered with ZEG to offer additional prizes. One BULLS Copperhead EVO AM 2 e-trail bike, valued at EUR 4,999 and three BULLS Machete RX 1 carbon gravel bikes, each worth EUR 1,999, will be given away.

The campaign highlights three tyres from FALKEN’s current range. The EUROALL SEASON AS220 suits drivers seeking year-round flexibility, offering reliable handling, efficiency and wet-road grip for regions with changeable weather. For winter, FALKEN recommends the EUROWINTER HS02 and HS02 PRO, both engineered for grip and stability on wet, cold and snowy roads. The HS02 delivers balanced winter performance, while the HS02 PRO targets drivers preferring precise, dynamic handling in cold conditions.

Retail partners also benefit from the promotion, which combines an instant reward, a high-value prize draw and a strong product assortment. These elements provide useful talking points for customer relations and stimulate purchasing at the outset of the winter tyre season.

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Maxam Tire has broadened its forestry tyre offerings with two new product lines. The MS934 targets forwarders and skidders, while the MS936 TimberXtra serves skidders and feller bunchers. Both are built for strong traction, flotation and durability across varied terrain and conditions.

The MS936 TimberXtra carries an aggressive LS2 tread for muddy ground, with reinforced construction and an optimised profile for stability and long service. Its lug and crown design extend wear life. Upcoming sizes include 35.5L32 30PR, 67/34.00X25 20PR and 67/34.00X26 20PR.

The MS934, an LS2 cut-to-length logging tyre, features an open centre tread made for over-the-tyre track systems. Nylon-wrapped beads prevent unwinding, while a wider lug shoulder and increased shoulder spacing deliver a more stable footprint.

Matt Fagan, Director of R&D, Maxam Tire, said, “Forestry operations can vary significantly by terrain and working conditions, which makes having the right tyre for the application critical. Each of the new MAXAM forestry tyres provide logging operations a unique solution for different terrains and applications. With additional skidder and CTL solutions, we are committed to deliver consistent performance and productivity for logging equipment, no matter the demand.”

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Hankook Tire has launched a new brand film titled ‘Rough Terrain’ for its Dynapro SUV tyre line, aimed at the US market. It marks the first Dynapro brand film released in US since 2024. The campaign moves beyond traditional off-road narratives to showcase a broad range of driving environments and everyday moments, both on and off the road.

The film humorously reimagines daily life’s unpredictable situations as ‘rough terrain’, highlighting Dynapro’s versatile performance. It opens with an SUV tackling muddy, rocky trails on Hankook’s Dynapro AT2 Xtreme tyres before shifting to a crowded big-box store parking lot, where a contested space, stray shopping carts and an anxious driver set the scene.

The spot then follows the SUV through family life’s chaotic moments, including an awkward father-daughter gossip session, a coffee spill and the baseball carpool. These scenarios offer a relatable take on rough terrain, emphasising the versatility required for life’s unpredictability while giving the traditional automotive adventure story a fresh twist.

Dynapro tyres are engineered for both off-road and everyday driving. Options include the mud-terrain Dynapro MT2, rugged-terrain Dynapro XT and all-terrain Dynapro AT2 Xtreme, plus the CUV performance Dynapro evo AS, CUV touring Dynapro HPX and highway terrain Dynapro HT2. The film is available on Hankook’s website, social media, YouTube, connected TV and OTT platforms.

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