Tyres are among the most important components in a vehicle, connecting it to the road. They play a crucial role in most aspects of the car, be it performance, by translating the engine’s power into actual performance, or safety, with the ability to maintain grip and stopping in as short a distance as possible upon braking.
The tyre market itself has been witnessing a contraction in demand. In most countries, there has also been a switch from premium brands to lower-priced imports. There is also an increasing dependence on OEMs, a fact which significantly affected tyre manufacturers following a worldwide cooling of sales.
For such a crucial part of a vehicle, there have been few major changes in tyre technology since the introduction of tubeless and radial tyres in the 1940s. Changes in tyre technology have been driven by various factors, such as fuel efficiency in the 1940s, and safety in the 1970s.
Tyres have, over the years, evolved, especially tyres used in the passenger car segment. Each of the components that has changed significantly over time – be it tyre composition, structure, construction or design – continue to evolve even now, with various tyre manufacturers taking on different approaches.
As Indraneel Bardhan, Managing Partner of EOS Intelligence, told Automotive World, “An incessant need to develop high-performance and environment-friendly tyres seems to be the biggest challenge faced by tyre manufacturers. With an ever-intensifying competition, numerous players of the sector have been launching innovative tyre technologies (such as chip-in-tyres, self-inflating tyres, and green tyres) quite frequently.”
Some tyre manufacturers have focussed more on tyre composition, and some have been working to substitute renewable materials in order to reduce the reliance on non-renewable resources. Others are focussing on tyre design itself, concentrating on developing tyres more suited for fuel efficient cars. Some, like the National Tire Research Center (NTRC), have been focussing their research towards the application of innovative materials and design to create a super tyre; a tyre capable of adjusting on the fly with the car and road, without sacrificing wear or traction.
Developing such new tyre technologies brings about certain challenges, especially the availability of raw material, and the need for materials with better performance. For instance, alternatives for natural rubber are being sought out, primarily because of the high levels of price volatility rubber witnesses owing to factors such as fluctuating global demand versus supply.
“You are always faced with design conflicts. Because we want to have energy efficiency as well as longevity, and sometimes when you design and choose a new material, this new material is very good for energy efficiency but it’s not going to be as good for longevity. So what can we do to address that?” Dominique Aimon, Director – Scientific and Technical Communication, told Automotive World.
Of late, significant technological changes have been brought to the passenger car tyre segment by the world’s major tyre manufacturers. In general, the strategy taken is that of developing an economically viable, efficient, quiet, intelligent, adaptable and possibly even air-free tyre made of durable, sustainable materials.
Automotive World’s report on light vehicle tyres, From radial to radical – where next for light vehicle tyres?, seeks to identify the next step for the global light vehicle tyre industry. The report considers the key developments in tyre technology, with input from a variety of relevant automotive industry stakeholders.
David Isaiah
