Vehicle Management Corporation survived industry consolidation to dominate a USD 1.5 billion niche managing mining’s most expensive consumables.

More than 30 years after its modest beginnings, Fernie’s Vehicle Management Corporation (VMC) now leads the global independent tyre management software sector. The company oversees USD 1.5 billion in tyre and rim assets across 480 mining sites on multiple continents. With individual mining tyres costing upward of USD 50,000, VMC’s enTIRE software has become critical for operators aiming to maximise the value of their most expensive consumables.

“We don’t sell tyres or offer tyre services – software is our sole focus,” Fernie said. This specialisation has been VMC’s core competitive strength and a key reason it outlasted larger, better-funded competitors during two decades of industry consolidation.

VMC’s journey from a single-client DOS application to managing billions of dollars in assets demonstrates how even small software firms can thrive by addressing highly specialised industry needs that larger solutions often overlook.

THE CONSOLIDATION SURVIVOR

VMC’s fierce independence stands out in a tyre industry where consolidation is accelerating. While giants like Bridgestone and Michelin snapped up rivals – Otraco and Klinge, respectively – VMC has held the line, rebuffing takeover interest and prioritising customer relationships over shareholder pressure or supplier alliances.

“With Bridgestone acquiring Otraco and Michelin purchasing Klinge, VMC became the only independent, commercially viable tyre management software provider remaining,” Fernie explained. “Developing a competitive independent system today would require USD 5+ million in funding and years of field testing, making our market position difficult to replicate and any alternatives difficult to justify.”

This independence is now central to VMC’s appeal for multinational miners working with multiple suppliers. Unlike manufacturer-backed software, VMC’s enTIRE system is completely agnostic, allowing clients to base their purchasing decisions solely on performance data and cost-effectiveness.

That strategy has earned VMC unusually durable client ties. Its three-decade partnership with Freeport Indonesia – one of the world’s largest mining operations –underscores the appeal of a model that favours operational flexibility over vendor lock-in, a growing concern among customers wary of manufacturer-driven ecosystems.

“Most of our clients are long-term,” Fernie noted, emphasising how this stability has become increasingly valuable as mining companies seek to avoid the disruption and data loss that often accompanies vendor changes in manufacturer-controlled systems.

BEYOND COST CUTTING: SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

While cost reductions – often 10 percent to 30 percent within three years – drive initial adoption, VMC’s impact extends far beyond savings. In nonstop mining environments, where tyre failures can lead to life-threatening accidents, safety and uptime are equally vital.

“Operating tyres outside pressure or load specs increases blowout risks,” Fernie said, emphasising safety. enTIRE tracks rim certifications and keeps failure histories, supporting safety protocols. “Rim accidents are very dangerous, potentially fatal.”

Environmental benefits have also emerged as an increasingly important value proposition for mining companies under growing pressure to reduce their carbon footprints and waste generation. By extending tyre life and dramatically reducing premature failures, mining operations generate substantially less waste while simultaneously improving fuel efficiency through optimised tyre pressure monitoring systems.

“Optimising pressure with TPMS can extend tyre life by 20–30 percent, reduce rolling resistance and lower fuel consumption by up to three percent – a substantial saving in mining operations,” Fernie explained. In an industry where fuel costs represent significant operational expenses and environmental regulations continue to tighten, these seemingly modest percentage improvements compound into substantial savings and meaningful reductions in environmental impact.

The environmental mathematics are compelling: operators can achieve approximately 30 percent increases in tyre life through proper lifecycle management, directly reducing landfill waste, shipping requirements and manufacturing demands – collectively helping reduce the carbon footprint of tyre procurement and disposal across the mining sector.

THE TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION

VMC’s technological evolution, from humble beginnings as a basic DOS program to advanced, cloud-based solutions, reflects the broader digitisation revolution in factory operations that began in the early 1990s. The firm’s flagship enTIRE software began as a Windows product with what Fernie recounts with clear pride as a ‘pioneering drag-and-drop interface’ in the early 1990s – a cutting-edge user experience design that was decades ahead of its time.

The platform has progressed steadily through several generations of technology, transitioning from Microsoft Access databases to high-performance SQL Server implementations, which have significantly improved performance and scalability. It introduced full multi-site support features in 2001 and incrementally incorporated tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) from seven sensor vendors starting in 2007. The software industry award was presented in 2005, when the system was named the Financial Review Australian Information Industry Association’s ‘Best Industrial Software Application’.

Recent development efforts focus heavily on artificial intelligence integration for enhanced analytics capabilities and predictive maintenance functionalities. “We’re actively using AI to streamline development and support,” Fernie said, outlining the company’s forward-looking technology strategy. “We expect AI will significantly enhance predictive analytics, client dashboards and user interfaces, improving how data is interpreted and acted upon.”

The integration of multiple TPMS systems represents a particular competitive advantage. “enTIRE PressureNet is sensor brand-agnostic and integrates with multiple sensor types, unlike many manufacturer-locked systems,” Fernie explained. “Our independence allows clients to choose or switch sensor brands without losing backend compatibility.”

FIGHTING FRAUD IN HIGH-STAKES OPERATIONS

In addition to optimising operations and pre-emptive maintenance, enTIRE is an advanced fraud detection and prevention solution in settings where a single tyre costs more than high-end cars. The software’s detailed tracking identifies many forms of theft, tampering and misbehaviour that afflict the high-end tyre market throughout global mining operations.

“Tyre fitters may scrap a near-new tyre (if not tracked) and then this tyre would be picked up from the scrap location and resold,” Fernie explained, detailing one common fraud scheme. “In mining, each tyre can be worth up to USD 50,000. This potential additional income is very significant in developing countries.” The financial incentives for such fraud are substantial, making comprehensive tracking systems essential for asset protection.

Beyond simple theft, the system prevents more sophisticated data manipulation during high-stakes contract negotiations. “If a tyre supply contract is worth USD 100 million, there can be significant pressure placed on operators of any tyre management system to ‘modify’ tyre performance in a supplier’s favour,” Fernie said, highlighting the system’s role in maintaining data integrity. “enTIRE has very strong internal systems to prevent internal tampering.”

Other fraud prevention features involve detecting unauthorised tyre replacement in off-site fleet operations, where drivers may sell new tyres and substitute them with less expensive ones, and preventing early scrapping of tyres that can otherwise be retreaded or reallocated for a longer service life.

ORGANIC GROWTH STRATEGY AND MARKET POSITION

VMC has achieved its market-leading position without relying on venture capital investment or large corporate sponsorship; instead, it has relied on diligent organic growth fuelled by strong customer relationships, word-of-mouth referrals and relentless reinvestment in product development. The firm purposefully reinvested earnings in automation technologies and enhanced software capabilities, rather than engaging in fervent hiring or costly promotional campaigns, while maintaining lean operations and establishing increasingly refined development capabilities.

“When large manufacturers’ systems failed with over-engineered projects, clients often came to us for reliable replacements,” Fernie said, describing a pattern that has accelerated during recent supply chain disruptions when tyre shortages made lifecycle extension critical for maintaining operational continuity.

The company’s fundamental growth strategy centres on systematic data accumulation and market share expansion. “Our strategy, early on, has always been to increase market share as we realised that the more tyre performance data our systems controlled, the more valuable we would become,” Fernie explained, articulating a network effect strategy that becomes more powerful with scale.

This field-tested software, combined with deep industry connections and vast databases, now creates major entry barriers that would require competitors years and millions to overcome.

DIVERSE APPLICATIONS AND INDUSTRY DIFFERENCES

VMC software supports significantly disparate operating models in mining and transport industries, each with dissimilar tracking demands and cost-justification criteria. Mining applications typically involve high-cost, low-volume tyres that are closely monitored by operating hours. In contrast, transport fleets manage high-volume, lower-cost tyres, which are tracked by kilometres and frequently shared across interchanging trailers pulled by various prime movers.

“Mining justifies the cost of extensive data entry based on the large cost savings, while the transport industry is more careful regarding tracking cost,” Fernie explained, highlighting how economic incentives drive different implementation approaches across industries.

Its flexibility in covering these differing operational needs while ensuring consistent data quality and analytical functionality across both industries is possible with the software.

GLOBAL EXPANSION AND CULTURAL ADAPTATION

VMC continues to expand its global presence, with a specific emphasis on high-growth regions such as Africa, Indonesia, India, Eastern Europe and Latin America, where a large demand for advanced asset management solutions arises from growing mining activities and infrastructure projects.

The firm has local teams offering multilingual support capabilities. However, cultural adjustment remains a continuing challenge in emerging markets as they transition from legacy manual systems to online platforms.

“We adapt training and user interfaces to local literacy and workflow styles,” Fernie said. “Regional teams help bridge gaps in communication, training and change management, ensuring smoother adoption.”

Main entry barriers in emerging markets include the absence of sound local technical support, the scarcity of internet infrastructure in geographically remote mining sites, the reluctance to change due to entrenched manual systems and administrative hurdles involving payment reliability and bureaucratic delays.

FUTURE TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY TRENDS

Future software updates mirror industry-wide trends towards greater automation and the integration of artificial intelligence. On the horizon are planned improvements, including richer analytical dashboards, enhanced cloud analytics capabilities, mobile inspection tools with integrated image capture capabilities and AI-driven notification systems for predictive maintenance notifications.

As autonomous and electric cars increasingly penetrate mining fleets, VMC’s strategic emphasis on tyre and rim information, rather than vehicle powertrains, places the company well-positioned to meet emerging transportation technologies without necessitating drastic system architecture adjustments.

“enTIRE tracks data independently of vehicle type, so electric vehicles are managed the same as diesel fleets,” Fernie explained. “Our focus is on tyre and rim data accuracy – not the powertrain.”

INDUSTRY CHALLENGES AND MARKET OUTLOOK

The tyre management industry faces ongoing challenges related to data accuracy and actionable insights. “The industry’s main challenge is accurate and actionable data,” Fernie observed. “Successful tyre management operations start with accurate data collection, management and transparent reporting.”

Supply chain disruptions have strengthened demand for VMC’s services as tyre shortages heighten the importance of lifecycle extension and predictive maintenance. “Our strongest growth has been when there have been tyre shortages and clients want to extend their current tyre life as much as possible,” Fernie noted.

For Fernie, who brings over 30 years of experience in tyre management software development to the industry, VMC’s continued success validates the strategic decision to remain independent in an increasingly consolidated market. “Just ‘being there’ and remaining independent will always attract customers from non-independent tyre management systems over time,” he said, expressing confidence in the company’s long-term competitive position.

In an industry where margins of operation are crucial and safety must not be compromised, VMC has established a highly profitable niche by addressing complex problems that most individuals never even consider – until a USD 50,000 tyre blows on a distant mining operation thousands of miles from the nearest replacement. For mining operators globally with billions of dollars in mobile equipment, that specialised expertise and uncompromising independence have been worth their weight in gold. 

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.