As part of a strategic partnership, Continental has developed a highly efficient tire for Renault Group‘s innovation teams with up to 35% lower rolling resistance than required for the EU tire label’s top A rating. For a vehicle with a battery range of 500km, this translates to approximately an additional 30km of range per charge – roughly the distance from Paris to Versailles.

The starting point for the tire was Continental’s EcoContact 7, which was then adapted to Renault Group’s requirements. The tire maker combined a specially modified tread compound with a customized sidewall design and an optimized tire construction.

Continue reading Continental develops bespoke tire for Renault that delivers up to 35% lower rolling resistance at Tire Technology International.

Hankook Tire has hosted a kick-off event for the ‘Development of Tire Manufacturing Technologies Using Sustainable Materials’ project carried out out as part of South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE)’s 2026 Environmental Technology Development Program.

The initiative seeks to accelerate Korea’s circular economy by securing high-quality recycled raw materials from end-of-life tires and advancing their commercialization in tire manufacturing. It consists of two key workstreams: the development of technologies for producing premium recycled feedstock from waste tires; and the establishment of tire manufacturing technologies using sustainable materials.

Participation in the national project expands existing private-sector research into a broader collaborative ecosystem involving industry, academia and research institutions.

Continue reading Korean consortium launches project to advance sustainable tire manufacturing and circular economy at Tire Technology International.

Goodyear is to supply advanced lunar tires for the NASA Artemis program’s Lunar Outpost Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), which is expected to support astronaut missions on the moon beginning in 2028.

Designed for operations at the lunar South Pole, Pegasus will enable astronauts to travel farther, operate longer and unlock new scientific exploration capabilities in one of the harshest environments known. Goodyear’s lunar tires are built to meet this challenge – engineered to withstand extreme temperature swings, rocky surfaces and low-gravity conditions while helping astronauts move safely and confidently across the lunar surface. Drawing on advanced science and decades of experience, these tires build on Goodyear’s work in extreme environments on Earth and in space.

Continue reading Goodyear to supply tires for NASA’s Pegasus lunar terrain vehicle at Tire Technology International.

The Yokohama Rubber Company has developed a proprietary tire mold design support system that uses simulations (FEM – finite element method) and the company’s AI technology.

The new system supplements the knowledge and experience of the company’s development staff and reportedly makes it easier for less-experienced staff to design new molds by providing information (such as changes in tire characteristics due to different mold design factors) obtained by conducting a large number of virtual experiments.

According to Yokohama, this system accelerates mold development while reducing costs and the reworking often required to realize a new mold design.

Continue reading New system from Yokohama speeds up tire mold design at Tire Technology International.

Bespoke versions of the Pirelli P Zero R have been developed for the new Audi RS 5 and RS 3 Competition Limited. Designed to balance everyday usability with track performance, the tires have been developed with a focus on improved grip and shorter braking distances. Audi RS was among the first to adopt the P Zero R. The fitments build on more than 25 years of collaboration between Pirelli and Audi Sport in developing tailored tires for high-performance vehicles.

Ad-hoc development

Audi’s primary objective was braking performance. The P Zero R has been designed to approach the levels of performance of the semi-slick Trofeo R, delivering very short stopping distances and consistent deceleration under demanding conditions.

Continue reading Audi RS models get bespoke Pirelli P Zero R tires at Tire Technology International.

Bridgestone Corporation has launched a joint research project with Universitas Indonesia, Public University Corporation Yokohama City University (Yokohama City University) and Public University Corporation Maebashi Institute of Technology (Maebashi Institute of Technology) for the genetic analysis of para rubber trees. This collaboration will leverage trees and genetic information from Bridgestone’s natural rubber farm in Indonesia.

The joint project aims to create a marker-assisted selection technology that enables early identification of elite trees (high-yielding, stable performers). Through this effort, Bridgestone and the partner universities seek to contribute to improvements in the productivity and stable supply of natural rubber.

Masashi Otsuki, executive director, Institute of Advanced Technology, Bridgestone Corporation, said, “By co-creating with stakeholders across the natural rubber industry and promoting the sustainable use of natural rubber, Bridgestone strives to achieve the corporate commitment of ‘Ecology: Committed to advancing sustainable tire technologies and solutions that preserve the environment for future generations’ described in its Bridgestone E8 Commitment.”

Stable yet sustainable

While natural rubber is a renewable resource, its source, the para rubber tree, grows only in geographically limited regions near the equator and is susceptible to external factors such as climate change and disease.

Continue reading Bridgestone and three universities collaborate on genetic analysis of para rubber trees to boost natural rubber production at Tire Technology International.

Japanese tire manufacturer Toyo Tires held a ground-breaking ceremony on March 19, 2026, for an R&D center in Serbia, which will be established on the premises of the Toyo Tires Serbia Factory in the municipality of Indjija.

The R&D center will focus on developing processing technologies, including rubber compounds, materials and composite design, as well as evaluating raw materials. It will use the on-site proving ground next to the Serbia factory to support development through vehicle testing, improving efficiency and reducing time-to-market.

Satoru Moriya, director, corporate officer, and vice president at the R&D headquarters, said, “We are excited about the potential of the Serbian R&D Center to refine cutting-edge processing technology from the ground up and to establish a European operational model that coordinates R&D, production and sales functions, thereby boosting the competitive advantages of the Proxes brand, among others.

Continue reading Toyo Tires breaks ground on R&D center in Serbia at Tire Technology International.

After years of engineering development and large-scale field testing, Global Air Cylinder Wheels (GACW), the Phoenix-based developer of the Air Suspension Wheel (ASW), has announced a key milestone in the transition from research and development to commercial deployment for 2026, following successful extreme-condition validation trials in Minnesota mining operations.

The recent winter trial subjected the company’s non-pneumatic mechanical wheel system to real-world operating conditions in Minnesota in December, with temperatures ranging from approximately -29°C to -40°C under full production loads and operational conditions. The testing focused on validating suspension performance, tread compounds, lubrication systems, and traction in extreme sub-zero mining conditions.

Continue reading GACW’s Air Suspension Wheel undergoes extreme mining trial ahead of 2026 launch at Tire Technology International.

Nokian Tyres has launched the Betula concept tire containing raw material made from birch bark. The renewable material made by Reselo uses the residue from the global pulp, paper and plywood industry – the Betula marks the first use of this recycled material in a tire.

The material is included in the tread compound of the concept tire, bringing the amount of renewable and recycled material content to 93% of all materials used on the tread.

The alternative sustainable material is positioned as a performance-enhancing addition. The concept tire, based on the tread design of the Nokian Tyres Hakkapeliitta R5 non-studded winter tire, has been tested at Nokian’s facilities in Ivalo in Finnish Lapland and in Nokia, Finland.

Continue reading Nokian Tyres unveils concept tire using performance-enhancing birch bark material at Tire Technology International.

Yokohama Rubber has unveiled the results of the international joint research project on preventing and controlling rubber tree leaf fall diseases. The findings were presented on December 9 at the 5th  Joint Coordinating Committee Meeting at Universitas Indonesia.

The project, which aims to achieve the sustainable production and use of natural rubber, has been selected as a research project for the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) program, which is jointly implemented by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), with support from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Continue reading International research project targets sustainable rubber production at Tire Technology International.