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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Hankook Tire has secured a new role as the Official Control Tyre Supplier for the 2026–2027 season of the Australian Production Car Endurance Series (APCES), following a partnership with the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club (ARDC). The APCES is a newly launched endurance championship created by the ARDC and Motorsport Australia, designed to continue the country’s legacy of production car racing. The series will feature production-based vehicles competing across eight performance-based classes, labelled X, A1, A2, B1, B2, C, D and E.

Hankook will exclusively supply its Ventus TD (Z221) R-Spec tyres to all participating teams, working alongside official trackside supplier Gary’s Motorsport Tyres. The control tyre format, which equips every competing vehicle with identical tyre specifications and performance, is intended to provide consistent racing conditions throughout the championship. The semi-slick tyres feature an optimised tread pattern and advanced compound technologies, delivering strong dry grip, stable cornering, excellent braking and superior heat resistance even under prolonged high-speed driving.

The championship will begin its opening round at Sydney Motorsport Park on 30 and 31 May, with additional races scheduled at Sandown International Raceway in August and Queensland Raceway in September. The final round is set for March 2027 at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, as part of the iconic Bathurst 6 Hour endurance race. The overall series champion will be determined at that concluding event.

Hankook has already built a strong reputation in Australian endurance racing as the official tyre supplier for the Bathurst 6 Hour, and it continues to sponsor other local events including the First Focus Radical Cup Australia Series, the Precision National Sports Sedan Series and the Hyper Racer Hankook Australian Drivers’ Championship. Moving forward, the company plans to strengthen its global premium brand position by using racing data from extreme motorsports conditions, combined with its global innovation R&D infrastructure, to develop ultra-high-performance tyre technologies.

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Bridgestone Corporation has extended its legacy of excellence with General Motors by securing a 2025 Supplier of the Year award, marking the company’s 11th consecutive win and 24th overall. The honour was announced during GM’s 34th annual awards ceremony in Austin, Texas. Out of a vast network exceeding 20,000 suppliers, Bridgestone emerged as one of only 103 companies across 14 countries to receive this distinction.

A global cross-functional team at General Motors determines the winners based on performance across key categories such as safety, innovation and resilience. The evaluation process considered each organisation’s results throughout 2025 alongside their alignment with GM’s fundamental values and ambitious future objectives. This rigorous selection method highlights the importance of consistent execution and shared strategic vision.

The recognition directly supports Bridgestone’s internal E8 Commitment, an ethos built around eight values beginning with the letter E, including Ecology and Extension. By crafting innovative tire solutions for GM, the Japanese company effectively advances its pledges on both ecological responsibility and technological extension. This synergy between corporate values and customer recognition reinforces Bridgestone’s position as a reliable partner.

David Colletti, President of Consumer Original Equipment Tires, North America, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, said, “This recognition reflects the strong relationship between Bridgestone and GM. Together, our shared dedication to innovation, quality and performance continues to fuel long-term success.”

Shilpan Amin, Senior Vice President, Global Chief Procurement and Supply Chain Officer, General Motors, said, “Supplier of the Year is one of those key moments our whole team looks forward to every year because it highlights the partnerships behind every vehicle we build. The results our suppliers deliver throughout the entire product development cycle are central to our ability to deliver world-class vehicles to our customers. When our suppliers, such as Bridgestone, lean in with us on new technology and flawless execution, we can move faster, compete harder and unlock more value across the entire supply chain.”

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Tyres Europe has joined a broad alliance of European industry associations urging the European Union to strengthen its trade defence policy. The coalition warns that unfair trade practices, combined with structural overcapacity and state-led market distortions worldwide, are intensifying pressure on local manufacturers. European producers must contend with high energy costs, strict environmental rules and complex regulations, placing them at a clear disadvantage compared to rivals benefiting from less transparent conditions.

The signatories have made clear that they do not seek protection from competition itself, only fairer conditions under which to compete. They argue that a truly global level playing field is essential to protect Europe’s industrial base, sustain competitiveness and allow EU companies to continue investing, producing and preserving jobs within the continent. Without such balance, the long-term viability of key sectors remains at risk.

As an immediate step, the coalition calls on the European Commission to assign more staff to the trade defence units within DG Trade. According to the statement, these services are severely understaffed in absolute numbers and relative to the EU’s main global partners. This shortage undermines Europe’s ability to respond effectively to foreign trade distortions in a timely manner.

Reinforcing DG Trade’s investigative capacity is therefore presented as a crucial short-term priority. Tyres Europe and the other associations contend that targeted staffing increases would significantly enhance the EU’s resilience against global market imbalances. Such a move, they believe, would help safeguard fair competition without erecting unnecessary barriers to international trade.

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Hankook Tire was conferred with the ‘Excellence in Quality and Delivery’ award during Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co., Ltd.’s ‘2025 Supplier Excellence Award’ ceremony, which took place in Columbus, Ohio, this past April.

Honda annually evaluates suppliers across North America based on criteria such as quality, delivery, value and innovation. Out of 56 honourees this year, Hankook Tire stood out due to its systematic quality management, stable supply capabilities and advanced product development competitiveness.

This latest accolade marks Hankook Tire’s fifth recognition from Honda, following previous wins for ‘Excellence in Value’ in 2016 and 2020, and ‘Excellence in Delivery/Value’ in 2018 and 2023. Since establishing a partnership with Honda in 2013, Hankook Tire supplies original equipment tyres for key SUV models including the CR-V, HR-V, Pilot and Passport, as well as global sedans like the Accord and Civic.

Building on this recognition, the tyre manufacturer aims to deepen its collaboration with Honda and expand its presence as a premier global brand in North America. Leveraging its integrated quality and technology system – supported by the Technoplex headquarters, Hankook Technodome R&D center and Hankook Technoring test track – the company continues to serve over 50 global automakers and plans to further enhance its AI-driven quality management through sustained R&D investment.

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