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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Michelin reported lower first-quarter revenue after adverse currency movements offset stable underlying sales, while the tyre maker maintained its 2026 guidance amid growing geopolitical and supply chain uncertainty.

Group revenue for the three months to 31March fell 5.4 percent year on year to €6.2bn, compared with €6.5bn a year earlier. Michelin said the decline was entirely due to currency effects, primarily the appreciation of the euro against the US dollar and several other currencies. At constant exchange rates, revenue was stable.

Tire volumes declined 1.4 percent during the quarter, although replacement sales improved, supported by a 3 percent increase in MICHELIN-brand tire volumes. A favourable product mix, particularly in larger premium tires, partly offset weaker original equipment demand.

The Consumer segment recorded revenue of €3.4bn, down 4.4 percent on a reported basis. Michelin said replacement sales of passenger car and light truck tires remained resilient, while original equipment sales continued to be affected by weaker automotive markets, particularly in China. Sales of 18-inch and larger tires represented 69 percent of MICHELIN-brand sales during the quarter.

Revenue in the Transportation segment fell 11.3 percent to €1.4bn, reflecting weaker original equipment demand in North and South America and adverse exchange rates. Replacement sales increased in Europe but remained subdued in North America amid a softer road freight market.

The Specialties segment reported revenue of €1.1bn, down 3.3 percent. Michelin said mining and aircraft tire sales increased during the quarter, while beyond-road activities stabilised despite continued weakness in agricultural original equipment markets.

Polymer Composite Solutions revenue rose 5.1 percent to €326m, supported by the integration of Cooley Group and growth in sealing and coated fabric activities. Michelin said the segment would continue expanding through the integration of Flexitallic in April and the expected consolidation of TexTech later in 2026.

The company said uncertainty linked to the Middle East conflict continued to create risks around global demand, raw material supply and energy costs. Michelin nevertheless maintained its financial outlook for 2026, citing operational resilience, localised production and supply chain integration.

During the quarter, Michelin also completed the acquisitions of Cooley Group and Flexitallic as part of efforts to accelerate the growth of its Polymer Composite Solutions business.

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Hankook Tire, the exclusive tyre supplier for the FIA World Rally Championship, has concluded the fifth round of the 2026 season, Rally Islas Canarias, which took place from 23 to 26 April in Spain’s Canary Islands. For the demanding asphalt stages, Hankook provided its specialised Ventus Z215 and Ventus Z210 tarmac rally tyres, engineered to handle extreme conditions.

The event, first held in 1977, marked its 50th anniversary this year and its second edition as an official WRC round. Competitors tackled 18 special stages across Gran Canaria Island, centred around Las Palmas, covering approximately 322.61 kilometres. The course featured rough, high-abrasion volcanic asphalt with dramatic elevation changes, while dense fog and local rain above 1,000 metres made weather a decisive factor. The opening day’s Super Special Stage at the BP Ultimate Circuito Islas Canarias offered side-by-side racing, where small pace differences quickly altered positions.

Hankook’s tyres provided reliable grip and control at high speeds and through continuous cornering, helping drivers maintain stability on the technical routes. Sébastien Ogier of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing secured his first win of the season, leading a team podium sweep. In the Drivers’ Championship, Elfyn Evans leads with 101 points, followed closely by Takamoto Katsuta on 99.

The 2026 WRC season now moves to Round 6, Vodafone Rally de Portugal, from 7 to 10 May in northern Portugal, a demanding event mostly on unpaved surfaces. Hankook will operate a ‘Brand World’ booth in the service park there, using motorsport content and hands-on experiences to promote its premium image. As exclusive WRC tyre supplier since 2025, Hankook continues integrating data from over 70 global championships into R&D, advancing high-performance tyre technology and the Ventus brand’s global leadership.

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wdk, the German Rubber Industry Association, and the ADK, the German Rubber Industry Employers’ Association, hosted their annual Rubber Industry Day in Berlin on 28 April 2026. The event saw wdk President Michael Klein issue an urgent call for industrial policy measures, warning that pressure on Germany’s manufacturing base remains relentless. He argued that the country can no longer afford strategic delays, insisting that declarations of intent must be replaced by immediate action to reduce bureaucracy and energy costs for businesses.

Citing fresh member survey data, Klein reported that sales, revenue and production levels in Germany’s rubber industry are predominantly declining compared to the previous year. He described this downturn as a clear warning signal, noting that companies have exhausted their potential at domestic sites. Without political support, he added, only foreign markets remain viable alternatives, while Germany continues to lose industrial substance.

The wdk president stressed that the federal government’s failure to implement countermeasures risks permanent damage to the nation’s industrial base. He expressed bafflement that political decision-makers have long known what needs to be done yet have failed to act for an extended period. Klein concluded that proactive intervention is now essential, as the erosion of Germany as a production location must finally be stopped to preserve the manufacturing sector as the backbone of the economy and a guarantor of prosperity.

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Bridgestone Americas has concluded the first phase of a joint research initiative with Penske Transportation Solutions, known as the Decarbonisation Lab, which focused on identifying commercially ready methods for reducing carbon emissions in real-world commercial fleet operations. The partnership confirmed that both companies intend to continue their collaboration with a second phase of testing in 2026, building on the operational data gathered during the initial stage.

Working alongside Dynamon, a specialist in advanced data analytics, the Lab’s first phase involved logging more than 500,000 fleet miles to assess three specific operational areas. The use of low-rolling-resistance retreads, continuous tyre pressure monitoring and Bridgestone casings on Penske vehicles produced a measurable gain of 6.35 percent in fuel economy. In a separate track, the partners tested renewable diesel in Tennessee, a state outside the usual Low Carbon Fuel Standard markets, to study long-term maintenance needs and efficiency results.

A third work stream saw Penske and Bridgestone engineering teams jointly redesign aspects of Bridgestone’s automotive tyre retail distribution network, with the goal of cutting roughly 152,000 miles from that logistics system. Scaling that approach across the entire dedicated fleet operated by the two companies would correspond to a four to six percent drop in CO₂ emissions, according to the project’s projections.

The overall findings from the Decarbonisation Lab reinforce the idea that meaningful near-term sustainability gains require a combination of proven technologies, rigorous data collection and close industry cooperation rather than isolated efforts. Representatives from both organisations are scheduled to present the first-phase results at ACT Expo 2026 in Las Vegas on the afternoon of 4 May.

Erik Seidel, head of sustainability for Bridgestone in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa, said, “Our Bridgestone team is proud to have partnered with Penske for more than a decade, from IndyCar racing to deploying millions of retreaded tyres across the Penske fleet. The Decarbonisation Lab is a testament to how sustainable transformation can be accelerated when we work together.”

Bill Combs, Senior Vice President, Partnership & Sustainability Strategy, Penske, said, “We are honoured to collaborate with Bridgestone to bring the Decarbonisation Lab to the marketplace. Our companies have enjoyed a successful history of uncovering great solutions that benefit our customers and the industry.”

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