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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Bridgestone has unveiled a new generation of aircraft tyres designed for the Boeing 737, delivering improved wear performance through optimised design. The tyres were first introduced on aircraft flown by partner airlines, helping to enhance their operational efficiency, and the company now intends to extend their availability to carriers worldwide. From 2027, tyres incorporating the advanced technology are scheduled to be fitted to a broad range of aircraft.

The launch comes as aviation continues to recover rapidly from the Covid-19 pandemic, a rebound that has brought labour shortages and made operational efficiency more critical than ever. At the same time, the sector is stepping up sustainability efforts in support of the International Civil Aviation Organization's target of net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Bridgestone refined the technology using extensive flight data supplied by partner airlines together with its own simulation tools, carrying out thorough evaluations and verification across a wide range of conditions.

The new tyres preserve the high durability of the company's existing Revolutionarily Reinforced Radial (RRR) technology while markedly improving wear resistance and curbing uneven wear through a new tread compound and an optimised contact profile. Casing durability has also been strengthened via an optimised sidewall design. Combined with advanced tyre wear prediction solutions developed alongside airlines and with retreading, the tyres support greater operational efficiency and lower CO2 emissions without compromising safety or reliability.

The new compound, which improves carbon black reinforcement and dispersion through Bridgestone's proprietary NanoPro-Tech molecular control technology, delivers better wear balance during landing and taxiing. Compared with the previous product, the tyre achieves more than 20 percent additional landings per tyre, reducing replacement downtime and maximising aircraft utilisation for high-frequency operators such as domestic carriers, while helping to lower operating costs.

Separately, the combination of flight data and simulation enabled Bridgestone to optimise contact conditions for aircraft-specific surfaces, including runways and taxiways, producing more uniform contact and cutting irregular wear seen on certain routes by more than 20 percent. This lowers the risk of unplanned replacements and flight delays, supporting on-time performance and easing the burden on maintenance teams. Further optimisation of the sidewall design based on RRR technology has extended tyre durability, and because roughly 80 percent of the materials in a retreaded tyre can be reused from the original, retreading reduces CO2 emissions at the manufacturing stage.

Bridgestone's aircraft tyres hold the leading installation share among airlines ranked in the top 10 of the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards 2025, underpinning safe and reliable operations. The company aims to maximise the productivity and economic value of airline operations, in line with the ‘Extension’ and ‘Economy’ commitments set out in the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, while enabling longer tyre life with lower resource consumption and emissions.

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Continental has introduced the ContiTrailAttack 4, the successor to its highly successful ContiTrailAttack 3 adventure tyre. The new 90/10 tyre retains the strengths of its predecessor while pushing performance further, aimed at riders who spend most of their time on asphalt but want readiness for occasional detours onto unpaved roads.

A full-silica compound delivers fast warm-up along with enhanced grip in both wet and dry conditions. The tyre offers intuitive and predictable handling wherever the journey leads, while state-of-the-art carcass materials and construction ensure reliable stability in every riding situation, even when fully loaded. Continental's MultiZoneBelt technology provides outstanding agility on winding roads and confidence on fast straights.

A newly developed cross-ply carcass construction for models with a 21-inch front wheel in size 90/90-21 stands out as a key highlight. The latest materials create a more flexible carcass, a better feel for the surface and calmer, more balanced handling. A revised apex design supports the sidewall and improves stability, while a new innerliner makes all sizes tubeless-compatible. The tyre also achieves a new level of steering precision for adventure motorcycles with 21-inch front wheels.

Positioned as a 90/10 tyre for 90 percent road use and 10 percent unpaved paths, the ContiTrailAttack 4 suits adventure riders who mostly choose paved roads but remain ready for spontaneous gravel detours. Confidence, stability and fun in twisty sections take centre stage, whether on the daily commute or a motorcycle vacation. It fits a wide range of modern adventure and travel enduro motorcycles, including the BMW R 1300 GS and F 900 GS, Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin, KTM 1390 Super Adventure S EVO, Triumph Tiger 1200 Rallye Pro, Ducati Multistrada V4 S, CFMoto MT 800 X and Voge DS 900X.

Raphael Michels, Product Manager – Motorcycle Tires, Continental, said, “Our full-silica compound inspires confidence at all times – from a cool morning start to a demanding mountain pass in the afternoon. The MultiZoneBelt technology, in turn, uses its specifically tuned stiffness zones in the steel belt to deliver outstanding agility on winding roads – and composure on fast straights.”

Rafael Kascha, Product Developer – Motorcycle Tires, Continental, said, “With the ContiTrailAttack 4, we are achieving a new level of steering precision for adventure motorcycles with a 21-inch front wheel. We accomplish this through advanced materials and a newly developed, cross-ply carcass construction. For riders, this means noticeably more direct and confidence-inspiring handling, whether in changing conditions on country roads or on occasional excursions onto gravel.”

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Zeon Corporation has formed a business alliance with QunaSys Inc. to extend mathematical model-based development, a novel R&D methodology, across manufacturing industries. The partnership merges Zeon's long-established expertise in polymer and materials development with QunaSys's mathematical modelling capabilities, creating an approach that deepens researchers' understanding of phenomena and strengthens decision-making.

Zeon has cultivated practical methodologies in this field through internal materials projects and employee training. The alliance will now pursue joint research, proof-of-concept (PoC) initiatives and tailored solutions to bring the scheme to external companies on a full-scale basis. The collaboration builds on a capital and business tie-up established in March 2022 aimed at creating a data management platform for machine learning, automated experimentation and quantum computing in materials development. The platform and the new scheme complement each other by enabling efficient validation of models against data and generation of high-quality hypotheses.

Unlike conventional approaches, the methodology treats mathematical models as foundations for researcher thinking rather than mere predictive tools. Models are built through objective definition, factor decomposition, hypothesis organisation, model creation and iterative verification. This lets researchers identify the essence of phenomena, narrow hypotheses requiring testing and rationally choose next steps – linking understanding to concrete actions that enhance business value and extending support beyond R&D into value creation.

Applying the approach requires both modelling technology and materials development expertise. Under its STAGE 30 medium-term plan, Zeon is reshaping its portfolio and positioning its data business as a next growth driver, intending to develop the scheme into a service within that business. The companies will accumulate methodologies and practical examples, broaden application across materials fields and promote manufacturer adoption through joint research, PoC projects and enterprise solutions, contributing to more advanced and efficient R&D.

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The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) has welcomed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) announcement of a negotiated rulemaking aimed at modernising federal tyre testing standards. The association has long pushed for this update, arguing that current rules are outdated.

According to USTMA President and CEO Anne Forristall Luke, modern standards lead to safer roads, and the group praised Administrator Morrison for advancing the effort. Luke noted that testing designed for 1960s-era tyres reveals little about today's products and blocks Americans from accessing advanced technology available elsewhere. Aligning standards with modern tyre technology would give drivers access to the highest-performing tyres, and USTMA members are ready to contribute their engineering expertise to the process.

​“Modern standards make for safer roads. USTMA applauds Administrator Morrison for taking on work the tyre industry has urged for years: bringing federal tyre standards in line with the tyres Americans drive on today. Outdated tyre testing standards designed for the tyres of the 1960s tell us nothing about whether today’s tyres are safe. In fact, those outdated standards prevent American drivers from accessing the latest technology currently available in much of the rest of the world. Bringing our standards into line with modern tyre technology will ensure Americans have access to the highest performing tyres made today. USTMA’s members look forward to contributing their engineering expertise to the process,” ​said the USTMA President and CEO.

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