The Vector name has featured on the sidewalls of Goodyear tyres since the manufacturer introduced its first all-season model in 1985. The current state of the art is the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3, which caters to a market that Goodyear expects will grow by around eight per cent annually over the next five years. The tyre maker has shared a few details about how it created this latest product.
Nexen Tire has provided further insights into its use of emerging technologies, such as XAI (eXplainable AI)-based design processes and 3D printing for tyre mould production. The company aims to “further expand its partnerships with global automakers through these innovations.”
Pirelli’s tyre development programme for the 2025 season is continuing with two days of testing at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit following the Belgian grand prix. The work is being carried out with the help of Aston Martin and Alpine, today running Stoffel Vandoorne and Esteban Ocon respectively.
From July, Yokohama Rubber is supporting its tyre development programme with a system that uses eXplainable AI (XAI) to make the development process clearer and more efficient. This advanced system aims to improve the work of both seasoned and less experienced tyre developers, reducing lead times and cutting costs.
Toyo Tire Corporation has adopted a seventh-generation Hewlett Packard High-Performance Computing (HPC) system for its proprietary high-precision tyre design platform, T-MODE. This move establishes a robust product development framework to expedite the creation of higher-performance tyres.
On 4 July, Nexen Tire unveiled its ‘High Dynamic Driving Simulator,’ a VR-based tool for tyre development. This initiative, which Nexen Tire says is a first for a Korean tyre maker, draws upon the specialist know-how of British equipment supplier Ansible Motion. The tyre maker anticipates that the driving simulator will foster collaboration with vehicle manufacturers, reducing vehicle development times and costs through accelerated virtual development.
The holy grail of off-highway tyre development is a tyre that is robust and durable yet delivers eco-friendly performance in its given application. Sharing its experiences in this area, Trelleborg Tires credits continuous research and “the right dose of AI” as indispensable factors.
April 1 has been and gone this year, so there’s no danger in admitting that I’ve seen imaginary tyres being tested on cars that don’t even exist. No fooling. I’ve even driven with these non-tyres, at the Goodyear Simulation Center in Luxembourg. The illusion felt very real.
A new simulation technique will aid tyre development at Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) by helping to minimise the impact of air resistance. This ‘Tire Aerodynamic Simulation’ technique uses artificial intelligence to visualise the airflow that develops around the tyres when a vehicle is in motion, and the Falken brand manufacturer will use the knowledge it gains to “pursue the development of a tyre shape that optimises aerodynamic performance.” SRI aims to launch an EV tyre developed using Tire Aerodynamic Simulation in 2027.
Hari Shankar Singhania Elastomer and Tyre Research Institute (HASETRI) has become the world’s first accredited Proficiency Testing Provider (PTP) for Rolling Resistance Tests by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). The unique certification has been awarded according to ISO 17043:2010 standards for C1 (passenger car tyres), C2 (light truck tyres), and C3 (heavy truck tyres) tests.
Nexen Tire lays claim to being the first Korean tyre maker to utilise virtual reality (VR) in the product development process. To strengthen its digital design process capabilities, the tyre maker has developed a VR design simulation system at the Nexen Central Research Institute in Seoul. It says this VR design review system allows users to “appreciate the scale of real tyres in a virtual space.”
Creating a tyre tread by hand may seem old fashioned, but even the largest manufacturers rely upon skilled carvers when developing new patterns. We visited Continental in Germany to see how this is done and to learn why automation hasn’t consigned carving to the history books.
Linglong Tire is partnering with Geely Automobile Research Institute in the establishment of a joint R&D centre called the Geely Engineering Center & Linglong Technology Center TIH Laboratory.
Michelin has bought UK-based simulation software specialist Canopy Simulations for an undisclosed fee. Since Michelin has been developing dynamic virtual tyre models for the last couple of decades using its Tame Tire software, it appears the plan is to combine Canopy’s “virtual driver” with Tame Tire, taking Michelin’s virtual modelling to the next level.
Hankook Tire’s holding company (Hankook & Company) along with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Snowflake are working on an integrated AI data platform to improve the performance and quality of tyres. According to the company, the digital ecosystem should also help to develop autonomous driving technology, increase efficiency in product development and increase quality through the analysis of manufacturing data.
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