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 CO2, 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)
Tegeta Green Planet Mentors Innovators At Circular Economy Hackathon In Senaki
- By TT News
- October 22, 2026
Tegeta Green Planet recently took part in a two-day Circular Economy Hackathon at Senaki Tech Park, an initiative funded by the Georgia Innovation and Technology Agency (GITA). The gathering sought to connect the circular economy and waste management fields with technological innovation, with organisers working to pinpoint urgent industry challenges and craft workable technological solutions, prototypes and business models in response.
For Tegeta Green Planet, an Extended Producer Responsibility organisation, pursuing such technological routes matters greatly, since effective waste handling, resource reuse and the real-world application of circular economy principles call for up-to-date, intelligent technological methods and flexible systems. Team members contributed by joining a panel discussion, guiding participants through the project development stage, and finally choosing their preferred team.
TyreSafe And West Midlands Road Safety Commissioner Join Forces To Promote Tyre Safety
- By TT News
- October 22, 2026
TyreSafe, UK’s leading tyre safety charity, has joined forces with Mat MacDonald, the West Midlands Road Safety Commissioner, in a bid to raise greater awareness of how tyres contribute to keeping road users safe. The collaboration draws on TyreSafe’s longstanding expertise in tyre safety education alongside MacDonald’s broader road safety remit.
MacDonald, the UK’s first Road Safety Commissioner, works with partners across the West Midlands to improve road safety and reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the region’s roads. His wider background includes experience as an NHS doctor supporting victims of road collisions and a previous role as chair of Better Streets for Birmingham, a group established to campaign for safer and better connected public spaces in the city.
TyreSafe maintains that tyre safety must form an integral part of this work. Tyres are a vehicle’s only point of contact with the road, playing a critical role in braking, steering and grip, yet condition, pressure and tread depth can be overlooked by drivers, increasing the risk of collisions and breakdowns. Through the collaboration, both parties aim to reinforce the importance of tyre safety as part of a wider commitment to safer journeys and preventing avoidable harm.
The charity is encouraging every road user to follow its ACT approach, which covers air pressure, condition and tread. Drivers are advised to check pressures regularly in line with manufacturer recommendations, look for cuts, cracks, bulges, embedded objects and uneven wear, and ensure tread depth is legal and suited to the vehicle. Such checks should form part of routine maintenance, with professional advice sought if concerns arise. TyreSafe continues to promote practical steps through work with road safety organisations, emergency services, industry partners and public bodies.
MacDonald said, “Traffic collisions can change lives in an instant on our roads, wiping out futures and leaving behind unimaginable trauma for witnesses and survivors. Safe vehicles are one of the key pillars of the system we’re trying to create, in which no-one is killed or seriously injured as they travel. That’s why I’m so proud to be supporting TyreSafe’s work in this area, raising awareness of the risks associated with illegal or poorly maintained tyres and encouraging road users to take practical steps to ensure their vehicles are safe and roadworthy. Checking your tyres before you drive is a small act, but there’s no doubt it could prevent your journey from ending in a devastating tragedy.”
Stuart Lovatt, Chairman, TyreSafe, said, “We are delighted to be working with Mat MacDonald to strengthen the focus on tyre safety as a fundamental part of road safety. Tyres are often overlooked, despite being critical to a vehicle’s ability to brake, steer and maintain grip. Our aim is to make tyre safety an everyday consideration for every road user, rather than something people think about only when a problem arises. Partnerships are essential to reaching more people with clear, practical advice that can help change behaviour and reduce risk. By working together, we can reinforce the message that checking your tyres takes only a few minutes, but those checks could make all the difference.”
FALKEN Extends IHF Handball Partnership Through 2029
- By TT News
- October 22, 2026
FALKEN, a tyre brand under Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH, has renewed its partnership with the International Handball Federation (IHF), extending its sponsorship to cover both the 2027 and 2029 IHF Men’s Handball World Championships. The agreement was brokered by SPORTFIVE, the IHF’s exclusive commercial agency for worldwide media and marketing rights through 2031.
The renewed deal continues a cooperation that began with the 2019 World Championship and persisted through the 2023 and 2025 tournaments. FALKEN served as official event partner for the 29th edition in 2025, gaining visibility through LED advertising boards and goal-area signage that reached millions of fans globally and reinforced its standing as a sporty upper mid-range tyre provider.
Shared values of precision, performance, reliability and the pursuit of excellence underpin the collaboration, qualities the brand describes as essential both on the handball court and on the road. The extension signals FALKEN’s commitment to international handball as a communications platform.
The 30th IHF Men’s World Championship will be held in Germany from 13 to 31 January 2027 across Munich, Stuttgart, Magdeburg, Kiel, Hannover and Cologne under the motto ‘Where Handball is Alive’. Through 2029, FALKEN aims to build long-term, authentic sporting partnerships and bring its brand values to a global audience.
Dr Hassan Moustafa, President, International Handball Federation (IHF), said, “I am pleased to confirm the continuation of our partnership with FALKEN for the IHF Men’s World Championships in 2027 and 2029. FALKEN has been part of our tournament for several years, and the extension of this partnership underlines our shared commitment to performance and excellence, values that define both our sport and the FALKEN brand. I would like to thank FALKEN for its continued trust in the IHF and in the Men’s World Championship and look forward to welcoming the brand back to our courts in Germany and again in France and Germany for the upcoming tournaments.”
Markus Bögner, Managing Director and President, Dunlop Tyre Europe GmbH, said, “Our shared values, the successful partnerships of previous years and the FALKEN brand’s deep roots in sport provide a strong foundation to continue our commitment. We are delighted to partner with the IHF Men’s Handball World Championships in 2027 and 2029 and look forward to the excitement and entertainment it brings fans. The extension of our partnership with the IHF enables us to further expand our presence on a global stage and connect with millions of enthusiasts all around the world.”
Kumho Tire's Road Venture MT71 Powers Drivers To Multiple 2026 Off-Road Racing Season Titles
- By TT News
- October 22, 2026
Kumho Tire USA has marked a successful return to off-road racing in the 2026 season, with its three sponsored drivers securing multiple class podium finishes. Mark Duval, Stephen ‘Woody’ Rose Jr and Eric Wikle all competed on KUMHO Road Venture MT71 mud-terrain tyres, which are engineered for the varied terrain and harsh conditions of competitive off-road courses.
Duval, driving the #4810 entry, claimed the 4800 Class title in the Valley Off Road Racing Association Season Championship after winning all four events in the series. He completed the campaign without a single puncture on his KUMHO tyres. Rose, in the #22 vehicle, earned the Ultra4 Western Regional Series Championship in the 4800 Class, recording one victory and two fourth-place finishes across four demanding races.
Eric Wikle, piloting the #406 entry, took first place in the Rock800 Legends class at the 2026 Casey Folks Vegas to Reno race. He navigated the rigorous 505-mile Nevada desert course, which was run in reverse for the first time in the event's history, with racers competing for the quickest time from Reno to Las Vegas.
The Road Venture MT71 features increased block stiffness for enhanced on- and off-road handling, a high-void tread pattern with a zig-zag and dual-pitch design for maximum off-road traction and mud and stone ejector bars between the shoulder lugs to prevent damage and aid self-cleaning. The drivers' results demonstrate Kumho Tire's commitment to high performance and durability across its Road Venture light truck and SUV tyre range.
Ed Cho, CEO, Kumho Tire USA, said, “We are extremely proud of the success of our drivers this season, which is a testament to the strength and performance of our Road Venture MT71 tyres. Key product insights gathered from these races will be integrated into the next generation of all-terrain tyres to ensure that racing-grade innovations reach everyday drivers.”
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