RFID makes it easier and more efficient to track and perform regular tyre maintenance. It identifies potential problems or failures before they cause a breakdown. Confidex has come out with a tyre tag, smaller than its peers and with an omni directional antenna

As the global tyre industry is witnessing rapid changes in manufacturing, distribution and usage to end of life of tyres, Radio Frequency  Identification (RFID) will play a significant role in tackling many challenges posed by the growing complexity in the sector.

Demand for data collection is growing, calling for intelligent decisions and fast actions. Data on tyres helps tyre companies to improve their production efficiency, reduce rejections and even help in addressing in legal disputes, while fleet companies can manage lifecycle of tyres and operations cost.

In February this year, Confidex, a leading designer and supplier of short-range wireless identification solutions, launched the new Confidex tyre tag, which is designed for tyre traceability through the lifecycle of tyres. The tags are based on RAIN RFID/EPC global Gen2v2 RFID technology, which has global certification for passive RFID tag.

Highlights

The highlight of the Confidex tyre tag is that it is smaller than its peers and has an omni-directional antenna. “Initially, we had enquiries from two Chinese tyre manufacturers - Jiangsu General Science Technology Co and Hodo Tyres. They were looking for solutions for an embedded tyre tag technology that is different from all the other solutions available in the markets. We took two years to design, develop, and release this embedded tyre tags commercially. Our RFID tag is a bit smaller than the existing tags available in the market, having an Omni directional antenna.

Now these two Chinese companies are ready to release the mini truck tyres with our embedded RFID tags,” said Paul Broekhuizen, Executive Vice President Smart Industries at Confidex Ltd. By integrating RFID tags within the tyre during the manufacturing process, fleet operators and other end users can track tyre wear and usage. This can help to control ongoing tyre costs. RFID makes it easier and more efficient
to track and perform regular tyre maintenance, as well as identify potential problems or failures before they cause breakdown, says the company.

According to the company, its tyre tag can be fitted with a flexible position within the tyre and is 40 mm smaller than other comparable tags on the market. Its omni directional antenna provides greater flexibility for both warehouse and yard management applications. The Confidex tags offer a read range up to 3 metres or 9 feet from all directions and are compliant with the ISO 20909 and ISO 20910 standards. “The main advantage that the omni directional RFID tags provide is that you can take readings from any direction by a handled reader. You can even have a fixed reading tool in your workshop, and you need to take your vehicle near to or pass by the reader. The ratings are accurately taken. That was the key requirement of the Chinese customers too,” said Broekhuizen.

Confidex is also in discussions with major European tyre companies to test its tyre tags. Positioning Tyres come with different designs and materials, compositions and thickness, so the challenge is to fit an
RFID tag at an ideal position. Since the Confidex tyre tag is installed before the vulcanisation process, it can be placed in any position. “Customer can embed a tag at any position. But, better to check with Confidex, we can simulate how it performs in the new position,” Broekhuizen pointed out. Since the Confidex RFID tag is smaller in size compared to the other tags available in the market, with minor changes,
it can be easily fitted in the tyres that have already been into production. During the vulcanisation process, tags o through very high heat and pressure for hours and sometimes, the antenna may get damaged.

The Confidex tyre tag has a spring type of the antenna - not a typical 3D spring, but more like flexible folded wire antenna, which is 2D structure. This is more flexible and provides benefits during the vulcanisation. “Due to the spring-like design, air bubbles cannot form around the antenna, making it more flexible and sustainable during bending and stretching in the vulcanisation process,” said Broekhuizen. The tags are IP68 rated against liquids and dust and provide resistance to common chemicals and UV exposure.

The company’s RFID tyre tags have already been tested in-house and now they are being tested by European tyre companies with specific requirements. Since the embedded tyre RFID tags cannot be taken out without damaging the tyre, they are ideal for identifying counterfeit products and lifecycle monitoring. “So basically, an embedded RF ID tag helps to monitor lifecycle of tyres. This is the most ideal and complex RFID tag solution,” added Broekhuizen.

The other solution is the label type of tag, which is used for after-sales solutions. It looks like a simple label, but has an antenna too. These labels have different additives which are meant for the different materials, and the antenna design is based on the materials. Broekhuizen explained: “The rubber and steel of the tyres are very complex substances. There are always chemical reactions when you stick anything on rubber. There are chances of them peeling off and permanently bond, so we need a special kind of adhesive which are best with the rubber composites.”

During the tyre manufacturing processes, RFID labels are applied to different bags or containers of the chemicals and other ingredients. With the help of the labels and the reader on the loader, the mixing process is strictly monitored and controlled.

The third solution is barcoding, which comes with an RFID ag which is for regulatory compliance. The embedded RFID tags also help to monitor the tyres in the recycling business. “Tyres go to different countries, so it is difficult for the recyclers to understand or have data on the lifecycle. With an embedded tag, recyclers can get info on the manufacturers, location, and date of manufacturing and
other info. And with all such info, recyclers can manage their business more efficiently,” said Broekhuizen. The information on the Confidex tyre tags come up with the extended memory so additional information can be stored. “There is always fixed information on the RFID and then there is an EPC memory which can have more information.”

Broekhuizen sees growing demand for embedded RIFD tags in both developed and developing markets for different reasons. According to him, a more substantial challenge is to tackle counterfeit cases in the tyre industry, and such cases can be avoided by using RFID tags. In the developed markets, RFID will help to reduce labour costs and improve efficiency.

The company also plans to explore the penetration of its RFID tags in the OTR segment, where the total cost of ownership and lifecycle are the main drivers of the business. Tyre companies are also exploring tyre leasing business. According to Broekhuizen, huge business opportunities lie before the company as the tyre rental business model needs embedded RFID tags. With the lease model, fleet operators can bring down the operating cost by almost 50%. “Fleet companies have to use as per the usage of the tyres or per kilometre. With RFID tags, all data and monitoring can be done accurately,” he said.

As generative AI transforms the way consumers and businesses discover products, tyre manufacturers face a fundamental shift in digital marketing. Roshan Mohan, Co-Founder and CMO at FlowBlinq, and Founder of PCG argues that the next battle will no longer be fought on search engine rankings but on whether AI systems choose to recommend a brand in the first place.

For more than two decades, tyre manufacturers have refined their digital strategies around a familiar formula: optimise websites for search engines, invest in paid advertising, strengthen dealer networks and build visibility through reviews and comparison platforms. Success depended largely on securing a prominent position on Google’s search results.

That formula, however, is beginning to change.

The rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude is reshaping how consumers search for information, compare products and make purchasing decisions. Rather than browsing multiple websites, customers are increasingly asking AI assistants to recommend the most suitable product based on their specific requirements.

For tyre manufacturers, this represents far more than another digital marketing trend. It fundamentally changes how products are discovered.

According to Roshan Mohan, Co-Founder and CMO at FlowBlinq, and Founder of PCG, companies that continue treating AI as simply another marketing channel risk missing a much larger transformation. “The customer journey for tyres has already started bending around AI, and the change over the next three to five years won’t be a redesign of the funnel; it’ll be a shift in where the funnel begins,” he says.

FROM SEARCH ENGINES TO AI CONVERSATIONS

Historically, buying tyres has been an information-intensive process. Consumers often compare technical specifications, dealer recommendations, user reviews, pricing and compatibility before making a purchase. Search engines have traditionally served as the starting point for that journey.

Generative AI is simplifying this process dramatically.  Instead of opening multiple browser tabs and manually comparing products, motorists can simply ask an AI assistant for recommendations based on vehicle type, budget, driving conditions and performance priorities. The AI then synthesises information from numerous sources into a single response. “What changes for the buyer is effort, not intent. They still want the right tyre for their car and budget, but instead of researching options and making the final comparison themselves, they are increasingly describing their needs to AI and letting it identify the best solution,” Mohan explains.

This shift effectively transfers much of the research process from the consumer to the AI model.

Industry forecasts suggest this transition is already underway. Gartner predicts traditional search engine volume will decline by 25 percent by 2026 as generative AI absorbs many queries that previously began with conventional search engines. Meanwhile, Checkout.com’s research indicates that consumers are embracing AI-assisted purchasing faster than many businesses are preparing for.

For tyre companies, the implication is profound: visibility may increasingly depend not on appearing first in search results but on being recommended within AI-generated answers.

THE RISE OF AI VISIBILITY

Search engine optimisation (SEO) has long centred on improving rankings through keywords, backlinks and domain authority. AI discoverability, Mohan argues, follows a very different logic.

“Traditional SEO was about ranking, winning a position on a page of 10 blue links. AI visibility, or Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), is about being the answer rather than a link to the answer,” he says.

Unlike traditional search engines, large language models evaluate whether product information is sufficiently trustworthy, structured and complete before referencing it. If they cannot confidently interpret a manufacturer’s data, the brand may simply disappear from the recommendation altogether.

This places far greater importance on machine-readable product information than on conventional search optimisation. At the same time, AI systems are looking beyond a company’s own website to understand whether a brand is trustworthy. This makes it important for brands to have a presence across credible, independent sources, where editorial PR and genuine reviews can play a key role, rather than advertisements or advertorials. AI systems bring together these trust signals from multiple sources and present them to users in one place. This means the decision-making journey is increasingly shifting to the AI chat, where consumers can get a more comprehensive view before making a choice. Brands that build credibility across trusted sources will therefore be better placed to influence how AI systems recommend them.

Structured specifications, consistent product descriptions, schema markup and clearly organised technical information become essential because AI systems rely on these elements when generating responses.

FlowBlinq has developed what it describes as 17 Generative Engine Optimisation pillars to assess whether brands are sufficiently prepared for AI discovery. These include structured data quality, technical completeness and AI crawlability.

Perhaps more significantly, Mohan believes many companies have little understanding of how frequently AI platforms mention their products – or whether they are mentioned at all.

“Our citation tool runs a brand across ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini and shows, prompt by prompt, whether the brand gets cited, where it loses out to a competitor and where it’s simply absent from the answer altogether,” he adds.

TECHNICAL ACCURACY BECOMES A COMPETITIVE ASSET

Tyres differ from many consumer products because purchasing decisions depend heavily on technical specifications. Load index, speed rating, rolling resistance, wet grip, tread pattern and vehicle compatibility all influence suitability. Inaccurate recommendations can have genuine safety implications.

Mohan believes this makes structured product information particularly important for the tyre industry. “When product data is thin, a model doesn’t refuse to answer; it defaults to the brand it has the most confident, well-structured information about,” he adds. He warns that this tendency naturally favours manufacturers with richer digital product catalogues rather than necessarily those with superior products.

FlowBlinq’s research suggests considerable room for improvement. According to the company’s findings, 62 percent of Indian brand websites provide product descriptions that are insufficiently detailed for AI systems, while more than half lack product codes needed for accurate identification.

For tyre manufacturers, the solution is relatively straightforward but frequently overlooked.

Rather than embedding specifications within downloadable PDF brochures or image-based catalogues, companies should publish technical information directly on webpages in formats that AI systems can easily interpret.

Equally important is the broader digital reputation surrounding a brand. Mohan notes that AI systems increasingly rely on trusted third-party sources – including established news publications, Wikipedia and community platforms – to validate manufacturer claims before making recommendations.

AI ENTERS FLEET PROCUREMENT

The implications extend well beyond retail consumers. Business purchasing decisions often involve lengthy comparisons of performance, lifecycle costs, regulatory compliance and operational efficiency – precisely the type of structured analysis that generative AI performs well.

According to Mohan, procurement teams, fleet operators and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) may adopt AI-supported purchasing even faster than retail buyers. “B2B tyre buying was never going to be immune to this, and it may move faster than consumer purchasing because procurement teams are exactly the audience generative AI tools were built to serve,” he says.

A fleet manager could ask AI to compare total cost of ownership across several tyre brands. An OEM purchasing team might request suppliers meeting specified rolling resistance or durability thresholds.

In such scenarios, manufacturers lacking accessible technical documentation risk exclusion before human procurement teams even begin formal evaluation. “The practical response isn’t a new sales deck. It’s making sure spec sheets, compliance documentation and comparative data exist in formats a model can read and trust,” Mohan says.

AI WILL ADVISE, BUT HUMANS WILL STILL DECIDE

While AI is poised to transform product discovery, Mohan believes the actual purchase decision will remain firmly in human hands – at least for high-value, safety-critical products such as tyres.

“I’d separate ‘AI helping me decide’ from ‘AI deciding for me’, because consumers still are the final decision makers,” he says.

Recent consumer research supports this view. While surveys indicate growing confidence in AI agents handling routine shopping tasks, willingness declines sharply when AI is expected to complete purchases autonomously. Most consumers remain comfortable with AI conducting research, comparing alternatives and shortlisting products but prefer to approve the final transaction themselves.

Tyres, Mohan argues, naturally fall into the category where human oversight will continue to matter.

“It’s a purchase people make infrequently, it carries real safety implications, and it typically involves a meaningful amount of money,” he says.

Consequently, AI is likely to dominate the research phase – evaluating specifications, warranty terms, prices and dealer options – while the final purchase decision remains with the customer.

However, one area where agentic commerce could quickly gain traction is in connecting customers directly with dealers. Rather than merely recommending a tyre, future AI assistants may also identify nearby retailers with available stock and book installation appointments automatically.

BECOMING AI-READY STARTS WITH THE BASICS

One of the most striking aspects of Mohan’s assessment is that the industry’s biggest challenge is not technological sophistication but digital housekeeping.

“It’s data, overwhelmingly, and it’s more basic than most companies expect,” he says.

FlowBlinq’s audits suggest that many corporate websites still lack the fundamental structure AI systems require. According to the company’s research, 91 percent of audited websites failed to provide clear information explaining their product catalogues in a way that AI could

understand. Even more concerning, nearly half were unintentionally preventing ChatGPT’s web crawler from accessing their websites because of security settings or plugin configurations.

“These aren’t strategic gaps; they’re operational oversights, and they’re fixable in weeks, not years,” Mohan claims.

For tyre manufacturers, this means that substantial improvements may not necessarily require major investments in new technology. Instead, they require a systematic review of how product information is organised, published and made accessible to AI systems.

Mohan also believes the next phase of digital readiness will involve preparing websites for agentic commerce by enabling real-time inventory visibility and ensuring AI systems can interact directly with product databases.

MEASURING RETURN BEYOND TRADITIONAL SEO

Digital marketing budgets have historically focused on search advertising, social media campaigns and marketplace optimisation. As AI-driven referrals grow, Mohan argues that businesses should begin allocating dedicated budgets towards AI discoverability.

“Yes, and the case for it is measurable rather than speculative now,” he says. Rather than relying solely on website traffic or keyword rankings, he believes organisations should monitor a different set of performance indicators.

Among the most important are how frequently AI systems cite a brand when responding to relevant queries, whether those citations are accurate and whether visitors arriving through AI recommendations convert differently from those originating through conventional digital channels.

Adobe’s Digital Insights research suggests AI-generated referrals are not only increasing rapidly but also producing stronger conversion rates than traditional referral sources. According to Mohan, this reflects the higher purchase intent of consumers who have already completed much of their evaluation through AI before visiting a manufacturer’s website.

TRUST WILL DETERMINE INFLUENCE

The emergence of AI recommendations inevitably raises questions about transparency. If AI systems become influential in shaping purchasing decisions, how can brands improve visibility without manipulating results?

For Mohan, the answer lies in accuracy rather than optimisation. “The honest answer is that AI-powered recommendations only work for a brand in the long run if they’re accurate, because these systems increasingly get checked,” he explains.

He believes manufacturers should resist the temptation to game AI systems through exaggerated marketing claims.

Instead, success will depend upon providing complete, verifiable product information that allows AI to make fair comparisons based on genuine performance characteristics.

“So the lever isn’t gaming a model into over-recommending you. It’s making sure that when a model compares your tyre honestly against a competitor on wet grip, rolling resistance or price, your data is complete enough that you win the comparisons you’re actually built to win,” he says.

In his view, transparency is not a constraint on AI marketing but its most durable competitive advantage.

FROM RECOMMENDATIONS TO TRANSACTIONS

The next evolution extends beyond recommendations. Emerging protocols are enabling AI systems to communicate directly with commerce platforms, inventory databases and pricing systems, allowing them to perform increasingly sophisticated purchasing tasks.

According to Mohan, this represents a significant opportunity for tyre manufacturers and dealers.

“The interesting shift is that AI agents are starting to interact with commerce systems directly... rather than just reading a webpage and stopping there,” Mohan says.

Once connected to live inventory systems, AI assistants could recommend the exact tyre that fits a customer’s vehicle, confirm stock availability at nearby dealers and compare prices in real time. Now, it can also make purchases directly from the chat window. This is something FlowBlinq is uniquely positioned to address as well.

Rather than generic recommendations based on previous purchasing patterns, personalisation could become highly contextual – considering vehicle compatibility, driving conditions, current inventory and even maintenance priorities.

However, Mohan cautions that these benefits will only be realised by organisations whose internal systems can support such interactions. Manufacturers and retailers will need modern, connected back-end infrastructure capable of sharing real-time inventory and pricing information with AI platforms.

ENGINEERING PRODUCTS – AND ENGINEERING DISCOVERABILITY

Looking ahead, Mohan does not believe AI will replace product quality as the defining competitive factor. Instead, he sees AI readiness becoming an equally important complement to engineering excellence.

“Product quality will always be table stakes; nobody wins on AI visibility with a mediocre tyre,” Mohan says. Yet he argues that superior products alone may no longer guarantee commercial success.

As purchasing journeys increasingly begin with AI conversations rather than search engines, brands that fail to present their technical information in formats AI systems can retrieve and trust may simply disappear from consideration.

“The winners will be the manufacturers who treated AI readiness as seriously as they treat product engineering,” Mohan says. He returns to Gartner’s prediction of declining traditional search volumes not as a warning but as an indication of how rapidly digital discovery is evolving.

“The discovery layer is moving to AI faster than most manufacturers’ data infrastructure is moving with it,” he says.

His concluding observation perhaps best captures the industry’s emerging challenge.

“A brand can make the best tyre in its category and still lose the sale simply because it was invisible in the one conversation the buyer had before deciding. That’s a genuinely new way to lose, and avoiding it is now a core marketing responsibility, not a technical footnote,” Mohan says.

AI mobile data capture company Anyline has released the latest version of TireBuddy, a smartphone-based system for automotive tyre inspections. Version 1.8 introduces fully automated sidewall capture that removes human variability from data collection. The tool has already helped service teams achieve faster, more uniform inspections over the past year, leading to increased tyre sales and stronger customer trust.

The automated mechanism uses on-device guidance that evaluates each image against four criteria: full sidewall detection, sharpness, proper distance and angle and overall clarity. This real-time feedback minimises redo scans by guiding technicians to capture optimal images immediately. The system addresses common challenges in busy service bays where accuracy often suffers due to varying experience levels.

Standardisation of inspection quality is a primary benefit, as consistent results are achieved regardless of who holds the phone. This removes dependency on technician skill or training duration. New or seasonal staff can perform scans confidently from day one without extensive instruction. The automated capture now serves as the standard protocol for all inspections across locations and shifts.

Additional features include tyre mismatch alerts that flag size discrepancies, automated email reports to back-office systems and a redesigned results screen consolidating sidewall information and tread measurements. With hundreds of thousands of annual inspections, this update reinforces TireBuddy's role in modernising tyre service operations.

Lukas Kinigadner, CRO, Anyline, said, “A shop is only as consistent as its least experienced inspector. Automated sidewall capture gets every scan to the same standard, so teams can stop treating inspection quality as a variable.”

Epson, a global leader in SCARA robot manufacturing, has unveiled its next-generation industrial robotics portfolio at Automation Expo Mumbai 2026. The newly introduced lineup features the high-end CX-A Series 6-axis robots, the LS-C Series SCARA robots, the RC+ 8.0 programming software and the advanced SafeSense safety technology, all designed to address diverse manufacturing applications such as pick-and-place, precision assembly, parts transfer and material handling.

The new offerings significantly expand Epson’s existing industrial robotics family, which already includes the 6-axis C-Series and SCARA T-Series and LS-Series models with payloads ranging from 3 to 20 kilogrammes. With the addition of the CX-A and LS-C Series, manufacturers across various sectors can achieve heightened productivity, flexibility and operational efficiency. The CX-A Series is engineered for complex tasks with a payload capacity of up to seven kilogrammes and a reach of 900 millimetres, available in IP67, cleanroom and ESD variants, while the LS-C Series provides a compact SCARA platform with a 50-kilogramme payload, a 1,000-millimetre reach and cycle times as fast as 0.298 seconds.

Complementing the hardware, the RC+ 8.0 software offers an integrated environment for programming, simulation and system management, facilitating faster automation deployment with support for Visual Studio and C++ development. Additional efficiency features include enhanced diagnostics, OPC UA, GUI builder and safety functions, alongside co-creation tools like Library Builder and RC+ Extension. Meanwhile, the SafeSense technology promotes safer human-robot collaboration by incorporating Safety Limited Speed and Safety Limited Position functions, which can potentially reduce the need for extensive safety fencing and thereby increase operational flexibility.

With over four decades of industrial robotics expertise and more than 200,000 robotic arms deployed globally, Epson continues to drive operational excellence for businesses. Attendees at Automation Expo Mumbai 2026 have the opportunity to view live demonstrations of these solutions and consult with Epson specialists about transforming their manufacturing operations.

Siva Kumar, Sr General Manager – Sales and Marketing, Epson India, said, "India is rapidly emerging as a global manufacturing hub, and automation will play a pivotal role in shaping its future. With our new industrial robot lineup and RC+ 8.0 platform, Epson is delivering the speed, precision and intelligence manufacturers need to compete in an increasingly dynamic marketplace. We remain committed to enabling businesses to accelerate automation adoption and build smarter, more agile and globally competitive manufacturing operations."

A consortium of Fraunhofer institutes has reached a key milestone in the Technology Platform for Tire Abrasion and the Identification of its Emissions in Road Traffic (TERIS) project, moving closer to establishing standardised laboratory methods for generating, analysing and predicting tyre wear.

The project, led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF, together with Fraunhofer ICT, Fraunhofer IGD and Fraunhofer IWM, aims to provide the tyre industry, testing organisations and environmental agencies with reliable and practical laboratory procedures for assessing tyre abrasion emissions.

The first project milestone has been completed following a successful review by an advisory board comprising industry experts.

The consortium has developed reference methods for tyre abrasion, particle analysis, tribological modelling, artificial intelligence-based surface analysis, a laboratory test bench concept, accelerated ageing techniques and volatile organic compound (VOC) detection.

According to the consortium, combining different particle collection and measurement techniques enables more precise analysis of both airborne and deposited tyre wear particles. At the same time, tribological models have been developed to better understand the relationship between loading conditions, material properties, surface structures and particle formation, allowing real-world tyre wear processes to be replicated under laboratory conditions.

Researchers have also developed a specialised test chamber for accelerated ageing, enabling tyre samples to be exposed to controlled environmental conditions before evaluating their abrasion behaviour.

Another development is an optical detection system that uses artificial intelligence to identify and classify surface structures. The system has been validated using substitute materials and is expected to be applied to rubber samples during the next phase of the project.

The consortium has also designed a laboratory test bench that combines multiaxial loading, controlled generation of tyre wear particles, targeted particle collection and integrated optical sensors within a single testing platform.

In addition, the project combines accelerated weathering with chemical analysis of volatile organic compounds released from tyre abrasion to assess the environmental impact of tyre wear particles.

The researchers said the work will provide the foundation for faster and more practical laboratory evaluation of new rubber compounds. The resulting methods are intended to help tyre manufacturers reduce emissions, accelerate product development and support compliance with the requirements of the Euro 7 standard.

At Fraunhofer IWM, researchers focused on refining tribological wear models and friction surface concepts to simulate particle formation under controlled laboratory conditions. The institute designed a parameterisable wear test that studies friction between plate materials and model surfaces with different structures, enabling researchers to investigate the mechanisms responsible for particle generation.

Initial findings indicate that tyre wear results from multiple interacting mechanisms rather than a simple relationship between particle emissions and factors such as speed, contact force or temperature. The researchers collected and analysed particles across a wide range of sizes during the study.