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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Apollo Tyres Ltd is broadening its cycling portfolio with a new all-season, high-performance option: the Vredestein Superpasso Pro 4S. Engineered for competitive cyclists, this tyre is designed to provide reliable speed and handling throughout the year, regardless of weather or road conditions. It will be available across Europe from 1 March 2026 in four different width sizes to accommodate various road bikes.

Developed at the company's European Global R&D Centre, the tyre builds upon the existing Superpasso Pro platform. It aims to merge the low rolling resistance and responsiveness of a summer performance tyre with the enhanced grip, durability and puncture resistance necessary for consistent year-round use. A key innovation is the proprietary ‘TriComp’ technology, which utilises multiple rubber compounds. A harder, reinforced centre section promotes efficiency and longevity, while softer shoulder compounds deliver superior traction and stability when cornering, even on wet or uneven surfaces.

Further contributing to its all-season capability is an optimised tread pattern. This design efficiently channels water away and maximizses the tyre's contact patch with the road, ensuring predictable handling. Underneath this tread, a 120 TPI casing and a reinforced breaker layer work in tandem to bolster puncture protection and overall resilience. Additionally, the model incorporates ‘Active Control Technology’, featuring a unique bridged centre structure. This construction method reduces overall weight and enhances the direct feedback transmitted to the rider, resulting in a more agile and connected riding experience.

Nic Knippers, Divisional Head – Vredestein Two Wheel Tyres, Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “Following the success of the new-generation Superpasso Pro, we saw a clear opportunity to create an all-season variant that would allow competitive and enthusiast riders stay on the bike longer, regardless of the weather. The Superpasso Pro 4S achieves exactly that, faithfully transmitting rider power and steering inputs to all surfaces, year-round.”

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Polymer Alumni Welfare Association (PAWA), in association with Indian Rubber Institute (IRI) and Dr D Banerjee Centre of Excellence (DBCOE), Mysuru and with the support of Department of Polymer Technology at Karnataka (Govt) Polytechnic, Mangaluru, is jointly conducting the third edition of DPT-Con 2026, a national-level conference scheduled to be held on 23rd & 24th January 2026 at KPT College campus, Mangaluru.

Carrying the theme “Sustainable Polymer for a Smarter Future,” DPT-Con 2026 aims to bring together industry professionals, alumni, academicians, and students on a common platform to advance learning and collaboration for infrastructure development in polymer science and technology.

“Karnataka (Govt.) Polytechnic, a 78-year-old institution approved by AICTE, as India’s first Autonomous status Polytechnic, has been home to the Department of Polymer Technology since 1975. Over the past five decades, the department has produced more than 1,000 polymer technologists who today serve across the Tyre, Rubber, Plastics, TPE and composite industries in India and abroad. Many of these alumni now hold senior technical and leadership roles, forming a strong industry–academia bridge,” says S Vasudev Rao, convener, DPT-Con 2026. 

PAWA, established in 2017 by senior alumni of the department, has played a pivotal role in strengthening this ecosystem. The association focuses on enhancing student competencies through industry engagement, infrastructure upgrades and knowledge-sharing initiatives. Earlier editions of DPT Con, held in 2018 and 2023, directly contributed to the upgradation of the rubber processing laboratory and the establishment of a modern plastic processing laboratory at the institute.

Building on this legacy, DPT-Con 2026 has set ambitious objectives. The conference seeks to fundraising to establish a cutting-edge incubation centre for composites, to provide scholarships to meritorious & deserving students, and support the maintenance and modernisation of existing rubber, plastic, TPE and composite laboratories. Enhanced student exposure through advanced equipment and real-time industrial interaction is a key focus area, alongside fostering long-term collaboration between industry, alumni and academia. The two-day programme will feature technical paper presentations, expert lectures, networking sessions and cultural programmes. A structured sponsorship framework—ranging from main and platinum sponsors to gold, kit and lunch sponsors—has been designed to encourage active industry participation, with opportunities for technical presentations and brand visibility during the event.

Organisers have set a fund-raising target of INR 2 million to support the planned initiatives and have invited industry leaders, alumni and well-wishers to contribute through sponsorships, kind support or direct participation. According to the organising committee, contributions to DPT-Con 2026 will have a direct and lasting impact on student skill development and the creation of infrastructure aligned with contemporary industry standards.

"With sustainability, innovation and collaboration at its core, DPT-Con 2026 is positioned not merely as a conference, but as a collective effort to shape the next generation of polymer technologists and strengthen India’s polymer ecosystem for the future," adds S Vasudev Rao. 

In addition to Polymer Alumni dedicated team Indian Rubber Institute- DBCOE team joined hands to fulfill this noble cause.

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Pirelli’s 2025 was defined by exceptional innovation and acclaim across its product lines and pioneering technologies, earning numerous independent awards and test victories. The company’s flagship families – P Zero, Cinturato and Scorpion – collectively secured 27 podium finishes in 34 comparative evaluations, with 15 of those positions being first place. New global market launches were particularly successful; both the fifth-generation P Zero and the new Cinturato summer tyre each claimed two major victories. The P Zero was celebrated as the top ultra-high performance summer tyre by industry experts, while the Cinturato demonstrated an outstanding blend of safety and efficiency. Winter performance was also highlighted by the P Zero Winter 2, which won its category in rigorous testing by a leading Swedish automotive magazine.

Specialised technologies integrated into these tyres further enhanced their appeal, offering motorists tangible benefits such as increased puncture resistance and reduced cabin noise. Meanwhile, the all-season segment saw remarkable dominance from Pirelli, especially in the European market. The Cinturato All Season SF3 proved extraordinarily versatile, earning 11 test victories and widespread praise for its balanced safety profile across diverse conditions. Its SUV-oriented counterpart, the Scorpion All Season SF3, quickly replicated this success following its launch. This collective achievement led Pirelli to be crowned the All Season Champion and Top Manufacturer of All Season Tyres by prestigious German institutions.

Complementing these product triumphs, Pirelli’s Cyber Tyre technology received significant international recognition, underscoring its role in advancing connected mobility. This integrated system uses in-tyre sensors and proprietary algorithms to communicate vital data with vehicle electronics in real time, enhancing safety and performance. Over the year, it was honoured four times across different continents, including a top innovation award in the United States, a safety prize in France, a pan-European safety accolade and a Company of the Year title from a noted market analysis firm. These awards collectively affirm how Pirelli’s digital advancements are fundamentally transforming traditional automotive components, positioning the company at the forefront of the industry’s connected future.

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For over a decade, Continental has served as the exclusive tyre supplier to Cemex in the UK, providing comprehensive solutions for the building materials leader's entire fleet. This partnership, initiated in 2011, began when Cemex selected retreaded tyres from Continental’s Bandvulc brand and became an early adopter of the ContiConnect digital monitoring system. Cemex, founded in 1906 and a major supplier of concrete, asphalt and aggregates, operates an extensive UK network of quarries and plants serviced by a large fleet of cement vehicles, dump trucks, trailers and ships.

The demanding environments at Cemex sites, featuring sharp rocks and uneven terrain, previously made tyre-related vehicle breakdowns a significant operational hurdle. By equipping the fleet with Continental’s premium new and retreaded tyres, the company has substantially enhanced vehicle safety, reduced downtime and improved overall fleet efficiency. According to Carl Milton, Cement Logistics Manager – UK at Cemex, this open-book relationship has yielded continuous benefits, from lowering driving costs to increasing vehicle durability and performance.

A cornerstone of this collaboration is the ContiConnect tyre pressure monitoring system. Sensors in the tyres provide real-time data on inflation and temperature, transmitting this information to cab displays and a web-based platform for fleet management. Nigel Ponton, UK Fleet Engineering Manager at Cemex, notes that the system does more than monitor deflation; it analyses heat transfer to predict imminent brake or wheel bearing failures, enabling proactive maintenance. Email alerts from the platform allow both the transport team and tyre providers to address issues in advance, supported by additional checks from Yard Reader stations at Cemex plants.

The partnership has deepened through joint innovation and testing. Milton highlights that the two companies have worked closely to optimise tyre designs for Cemex’s unique operational environments, achieving the best possible fuel economy. Cemex is frequently invited to trial new tyre models, providing feedback that directly contributes to the refinement and development of Continental’s product range. Pina Wallace of Continental concludes that this cooperative relationship is a perfect example of mutual success, where tailored solutions meet specific customer demands while invaluable feedback enhances product offerings. This synergy underscores Continental’s customer-centric approach and the tangible, shared value born from a deeply collaborative alliance.

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