Last year, Oxford Dictionaries declared that “Unprecedented” is the word of year that chosen by the famous English language experts to sum up the preceding 12 months. It’s been more than a year since the pandemic changed the way we live and work, and nothing feels more important than staying connected to our communities. Tyre industry is no exception.

As we all know, the automotive society is changing at rapid pace world-wide due to various factors such as new customer trends, growth of middle class and new mobility concepts. The performance requirements of tyres continue to rise ever higher, meaning that even further advancement in tyre technology as well as fighting with complex issues are now our new normal. The requirements of tyre performance parameters are much greater than past therefore now we work with “octagon,” instead of historically used “triangle.”

Today, we are talking about “Desired performance” instead of “Prioritised performance” which covers all required factors as well as sustainable green product concept. As we all know, many tyre manufacturers have announced their aggressive plans to have “carbon-neutral” products and aimed to adopt renewable materials and sustainable solutions.

As noted earlier, there are also additional challenges facing mobility and there are many new topics. In this article as TIC, we focused some of the hot topics to be involved by tyre companies. The below topics will force fundamental changes and our industry is going to be more complex. We need to understand those which would affect market dynamics, breakthrough developments and mobility revolutions.

We believe that a holistic approach is needed to see the future as well as new opportunities and treats. TIC-Tire Industry Consulting’s recommendations are given for some of the important areas, which should be involved by tyre manufacturers in order to continue their business.

Air-Free tyres

The airless concept tyre is one of the initiatives aimed towards many tyre manufacture’s long-term vision of the use of sustainable materials. Many of tyre manufacturers revealed their second or third generation air free technologies by featuring improved load-bearing capabilities, driving performance and environmental design. However, there are a lot of works to be made before air free tyres available for customers. Anyone looking for the future of tyre industry needs to involve Air Free tyre technology. Although it is very hard to estimate, we believe CAGR would be reached 3-4% within ten years globally.

Sustainable solutions

This is one of the most popular topics for automotive industry since many years by aiming CO₂ emission reduction. The motivations are: increasing pressure from legislation to move to zero CO_2, EV sales booming in many countries and consumers are increasingly seeking to buy from environmentally responsible companies. Main players have announced very challenging targets to use all-sustainable materials by 2030 and 2050. Tyre industry has to follow this path and needs to do fundamental changes regarding all processes such as R&D, supply chain and others. We believe that tyre industry should implement multiple technological innovations for sustainable solutions by working with their suppliers. In order to keep the competition, tyre manufacturers should: have a Science Based Target (SBT) for sustainability, engage with suppliers for joint activities and improve R&D activities regarding new materials, new designs and higher the usage of recycled materials.

EV tyres

Global automotive sector is responsible for 15% of global GHG emission and Paris agreement targeted to have “zero” GHG emission by 2050 to limit global warming. This is a very challenging target ever seen that committed by all countries. Private sector is co-responsible for implementation and rapid fleet electrification is one of the on-going solution items. OEMs have set the pace for CO₂ reduction and tyre manufacturers should have the EV tyre that meets “desired performance” as a sustainable green product.

The best example would be Germany , that aims to have 14M electric cars in 2030 by having almost 30% share of total car and electric passenger car new sales would reach to 75-80%  of total cars sale in 2030. Those figures show how big opportunity is exist for EV tyre manufacturers for OE and replacement markets. In that respect, we should continue to improve New Product Development (NPD) process even harder by expanding R&D efforts.

Artificial Intelligence

One of the important breakthrough innovations is AI and now widely use in all industries. We have seen many new applications by using AI in tyre industry too. Some of the areas would be sensor adoptions, prediction of compound physical properties, data mining in production processes and performance predictions during service time such a wear life and others. As TIC, we see AI as a “white space” for tyre manufactures that needs special skills as well as knowledge to adapt AI to existing systems.

Dynamic Testing

This has been performed by many tyre manufacturers using different test methodologies  such as component level, Hil (Hardware-in-the-Loop), ViL (Vehicle-in-the-Loop) test during the development and test & verification states of the product. In addition to those currently available test technologies, there are new developments in testing, such as dynamic driving simulators, in other words DiL (Driver-in-the-Loop). This technology enables tyre manufacturer to test and verify their next-generation tyre designs in virtual environment using the vehicle digital twin, which replicates the actual vehicle including vehicle driving dynamics, with real driver interaction. The DiL will improve the development process and create new opportunities for tyre manufacturers as preferred one. TIC believes in “Speed to market with right solutions and innovation,” and ready to support you. Design & development process duration is getting more and more crucial and all manufacturers are trying to reduce it by using modern simulation and testing technics. We recommend adopting Virtual technology in order to provide the best service to your customers.

As a conclusion, tyre industry is facing a lot of challenges and having very dynamic competition, in that respect the tyre technology and tyre knowledge will be extremely important to compete in the future, more than at any time in the past.

TIC Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) have vast hands-on experiences for above topics and ready to support your activities. We provide specialised technical solutions for challenges and TIC guarantees a high standard of professional-ethical principles that we have kept and developed for years. (TT)

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Goodyear has launched a ‘Golden Ticket’ sweepstakes offering one lucky enthusiast and a guest the chance to fly on the iconic Goodyear Blimp. The promotion runs from 15 September through 15 October 2026.

Participants can enter by purchasing a set of four Goodyear tyres through Goodyear.com or at Goodyear Auto Service and Just Tires stores, then submitting the entry form on the dedicated sweepstakes page. A random drawing will determine the winner, who will receive a flight certificate for two passengers.

The certificate can be redeemed at any of Goodyear’s three US airship bases: Akron, Ohio; Carson, California or Pompano Beach, Florida. The sweepstakes arrives as summer ends and weather becomes less predictable, encouraging drivers to prepare their vehicles.

Eligible purchases span Goodyear’s portfolio, including the Eagle F1 All Season, Wrangler Outbound AT, Assurance WeatherReady 2 and ElectricDrive 2. Buyers using Goodyear.com may also select Goodyear Mobile Garage, which dispatches a van and certified technician to install tyres at a chosen location. To enter without making a purchase, persons may submit an entry via the Official Entry Form.

David Cichocki, Managing Director, Americas & Chief Sales Officer at Goodyear, said, "We've been known to say, 'Blimps Are Cool. Buy Tires’, and this sweepstakes brings those two things together in a memorable way. Whether you purchase from the comfort of home through Goodyear.com or visit a Goodyear Auto Service or Just Tires location, you'll be driving on tyres you can brag about and have the chance to experience something truly iconic – a ride on the Goodyear Blimp."

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Continental has broadened its Conti Scandinavia winter tyre lineup with a new 315/60 R 22.5 steering axle tyre. The range is engineered for demanding winter road conditions, delivering dependable traction on snow, ice and wet surfaces while sustaining high mileage and efficient rolling performance. Retread solutions complement the portfolio to support long-term tyre management.

Developed specifically for challenging winter environments, the Conti Scandinavia family covers various axle positions. Optimised tread patterns and winter compounds provide traction and handling on snow-covered, icy and wet roads while meeting the durability demands of regional and long-haul transport. Continental's two-layer sipe technology plays a central role, supporting traction, driving stability and handling throughout the tyre's service life while contributing to mileage and rolling efficiency.

Special tread compounds stay flexible at low temperatures, maintaining grip without sacrificing operational performance. Low noise levels and year-round applicability add further versatility. Hinnerk Kaiser, Head of Bus and Truck Tyre Development at Continental, noted that winter tyres must deliver reliable traction and handling in challenging conditions without compromising mileage or efficiency, and that the Conti Scandinavia portfolio addresses these requirements while the new dimension expands customer choice.

The added 315/60 R 22.5 steering axle tyre strengthens Continental's winter offering for commercial vehicles and widens the portfolio's application range, giving customers greater flexibility in tyre configuration. Alongside new tyres, retreading extends casing utilisation, allowing fleet operators to maximise tyre assets over a longer period while upholding commercial transport performance requirements.

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Michelin unveiled the MICHELIN X Multi T2 at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover, presenting the trailer tyre in the widely used UK and Ireland size of 385/65 R22.5. Designed for regional and mixed transport operations, the tyre is engineered to manage heavy loads, resist lateral forces during manoeuvring and remain dependable across fluctuating operating conditions.

Compared with its predecessor, the X Multi T2 delivers as much as 15 percent greater mileage and up to 6 percent reduced rolling resistance. Its development centres on carcass stability and robustness, making it suited to demanding trailer duties spanning general cargo, containers, refrigerated goods, tankers and bulk haulage, along with car, specialised and heavy-haul transport. Such operations frequently involve peak loads, tight manoeuvring and inconsistent road surfaces, all of which affect tyre life, so a durable carcass and damage-resistant tread directly support cost-effectiveness.

Four principal innovations underpin the tyre. REGENION technology continuously forms new grooves as the tread wears, preserving grip and mobility throughout service life. The CARBION compound enhances mileage, rolling resistance and wear resistance. Within the structure, OPTICOIL is a weight-saving bead architecture, while DURACOIL strengthens the tyre-to-rim bond for greater stability. Michelin also employs POWERCOIL, a newer generation of lighter, longer-lasting steel cables.

As a multi-life product, the X Multi T2 can be regrooved and retreaded for notable total cost of ownership (TCO) savings. Regrooving takes place once tread depth reaches 3–4 mm, extending casing life in its most fuel-efficient state. Worn regrooved tyres can then be retreaded as Michelin Remix tyres at the company's Stoke factory, a process adding roughly 20 kg of raw materials versus about 70 kg for a new tyre. Retreads follow the local-to-local principle, being used exclusively within UK and Ireland, supporting skilled domestic jobs and avoiding export-related environmental impact. The tyre carries rolling resistance class B, wet grip class C and external noise class A under EU labelling, plus 3PMSF and M+S winter markings.

Andrew French, B2B Sales Director, Michelin UK & Ireland, said, “Alongside durability and versatility, Michelin recognises the growing pressure hauliers face to reduce rolling resistance, as trailers form an integral part of the total cost of ownership (TCO) equation. This is something our latest generation trailer tyre can help operators to achieve.”

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Goodyear Chile has reinforced its dedication to sustainability and the circular economy through programmes that encourage responsible handling of end-of-life tyres while supporting environmental protection across the country.

Beyond producing and selling tyres, the company ensures its discarded products are managed in an environmentally sound manner. These tyres are collected and treated at authorised recycling plants, where mechanical processes convert them into reusable materials suitable for new products and applications, in line with Chilean regulations for out-of-use tyres and the firm’s sustainability goals.

Goodyear Chile also continues working to meet requirements under Chile’s Extended Producer Responsibility Law. It currently uses two management mechanisms tied to regulatory categories. For Category A, covering tyres with rims under 57 inches except those measuring 45, 49 and 51 inches, the company participates in NEUVOL, a collective nonprofit system focused on collecting and recovering end-of-life tyres. Together with NEUVOL, Goodyear Chile sends these tyres to Polambiente, a Santiago-based recycler specialising in mechanical recycling that turns them into raw materials and products for new uses.

For Category B, which includes tyres with rims of 45, 49 and 51 inches and wheels 57 inches or larger, Goodyear Chile has operated under a management plan approved by the Ministry of the Environment since 2022, becoming the first Category B tyre company to secure such authorisation in Chile. It has consistently met annual collection and recovery targets for 2023, 2024 and 2025. These tyres go to Rembre Tires in northern Chile, where granulation recovers 100 percent of the tyre, separating rubber and steel for various applications.

Goodyear Chile’s responsible tyre management predates the REP Law targets and reflects its broader effort to cut environmental and social impacts. For over 10 years, it has advanced recycling initiatives and maintained a zero-waste-to-landfill policy while continuing research into more sustainable materials, including alternative raw materials, to help Chile reduce waste and build a more sustainable future.

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