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 the stars.

"From breaking land speed records to traversing the Moon's surface to pushing the limits of the world's toughest race circuits Goodyear innovations have been helping people travel safely on their own journeys for more than 125 years," said Chris Helsel, senior vice president and Chief Technical Officer. "Goodyear tires first left tread marks on the Moon during the Apollo mission, and since then Goodyear technology and the people behind it have kept making tires worth bragging about."

The development of Pegasus was led by Lunar Outpost, in partnership with General Motors, Goodyear and Leidos, bringing together expertise across automotive, aerospace and technology to support the next chapter of human exploration. This collaboration also reflects Goodyear's vision to be #1 in tires and service, leading innovation on Earth and beyond.

With a new design highlighted by a high-contrast sidewall and coverage now extending up to 23-inch rim diameters, Vector All Season 4 unlocks premium, year-round capability and convenience for vehicle segments that until now had no all-season solution available.

Doubt Nothing – Grip the Moment

Goodyear Vector All Season 4 delivers optimized performance in all conditions, from dry roads to rain and light snow, and carries the European Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) certification. Developed using Goodyear’s latest technologies and dedicated materials, the tire delivers a carefully balanced combination of capabilities without compromising any single performance area. This enables the tire to adapt to changing temperatures, road conditions, and driving styles, for reliable year-round performance.

Independent test results further confirm the performance of Vector All Season 4. In a TÜV SÜD test commissioned by Goodyear, the tire emerged as a well-balanced product[2] according to Goodyear’s internal analysis of the TÜV test results, demonstrating consistently strong performance across all evaluated performance criteria. Its performance was also recognized by AutoBild, which awarded the tire an “Exemplary” rating[3], underlining its strengths as a reliable, well-rounded all‑season solution.

WeatherReady™ Technology

The tire’s uncompromised all-season performance is built on WeatherReady™ Technology, Goodyear’s new engineering foundation for all-season capability. It combines three advanced technologies: Dry Contact Plus, 3D Blade Sipe System and a new compound formula to deliver confident performance across changing conditions.

• Certain when it counts: A new tread pattern and optimized block design support confident grip across seasons and road conditions.
• Effortless control in dry and wet: An enhanced footprint during braking delivers excellent dry and wet performance.
• Efficient and refined drive: A new compound formula improves tread wear and rolling resistance, supporting extended mobility range – perfectly suited for EVs.

Built for Premium Fitments

Designed for today’s heavier, more powerful, and increasingly electrified vehicles, Vector All Season 4 responds to the evolving demands of the modern vehicle parc with broader fitment and enhanced capability.

By 2026, the lineup will include 96 SKUs across rim diameters from 16 to 23 inches, with 66% of the range in 19 inches and above. This broader coverage marks a significant step for the all-season segment, allowing more drivers and a wider variety of vehicles to rely on an all-season tire solution for the first time. Models such as Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Porsche Panamera and Macan, as well as Audi A6 e-tron, Q7 and SQ7, can now combine confident all-season performance with the convenience of year-round versatility.

This range expansion reflects both growing all-season demand[4] and an evolving vehicle parc. Between 2022 and 2025, sales of 19-inch and above all-season tires increased by more than 20%[5] per year, underscoring the shift toward larger rim sizes and highlighting the need for broader all-season fitment coverage.

Unapologetic Aesthetic – A Refined Premium Design

For fitments of 19 inches and above, Vector All Season 4 features an exclusive laser-engraved sidewall. The finish reinforces a powerful, premium appearance – enhancing the visual presence of modern performance and luxury vehicles, whether in motion or at a standstill.

“Goodyear has played a defining role in shaping the all-season category since its very beginnings, starting with the launch of Goodyear Tiempo in 1977 – the world’s first all-season tire,” says Ben Glesener, Senior Technology Director Product Development Consumer EMEA. “As we approach the 50-year anniversary of that milestone next year, Vector All Season 4 represents the next step in how we continue to redefine the all-season category. By raising all‑season performance and expanding the range to meet the demands of today’s premium and electric vehicles, we are making it easier than ever for more drivers to rely on a single tire solution throughout the year.

[1] https://news.goodyear.eu/goodyear-vector-4seasons-gen-3-achieves-top-rating--in-latest-adac-test/, https://news.goodyear.eu/goodyear-vector-4seasons-gen-3-awarded-test-winner-by-adac/, https://news.goodyear.eu/goodyear-vector-4seasons-gen-3-wins-auto-bilds-all-season-tire-test/

[2] Compared to average performance of the four most recent available models at the time of testing from the main competitors in the All-Season Segment (Bridgestone Turanza All Season 6, Continental AllSeasonContact 2, Michelin CrossClimate 2, Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF 3). Tested by TÜV SÜD Product Service GmbH in November – December 2024 by order of Goodyear. Tire Size: 205/55R16 94V XL; Test Car: VW Golf VIII 1.5TSI, Skoda Superb 1.5TSI (PBN); Test Locations: GPG Mireval (F), UniBW Neubiberg (D), Arctic Center Saariselkä (FIN), TÜV SÜD Product Service Garching (D). Report No. 713349044-PM. Full report available at: https://www.goodyear.eu/en_gb/consumer/tire-test-reports.html#tabs-5aee07366f-item-e41c871169-tab

[3] AutoBild (D), 2026/04/29, comparing 5 all-season tires in size 225/40R18.

[4] Tyres Europe Quarterly Update Q4 & Full Year 2025: https://tyreseurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Tyres-Europe-Quarterly-Update-2025-Q4-1.1.pdf

[5] GfK an NIQ Company. GfK Panelmarket EU10 + TK data, 2022–2025.

Building on past successes

Since 2017, LIST and Goodyear have worked together to achieve pioneering results in materials research, structure-property relationship understanding, and data science. Their joint efforts have positioned Luxembourg as a hub for disruptive innovation in mobility, particularly in the tire and tire-related technology sectors. 

At last year’s LIST Tech Day, the two entities had sealed the agreement for a second phase of their partnership capitalizing on Goodyear’s and LIST's expertise, infrastructure, and competencies to drive innovation and technology to a new application domain.

Focus on sustainability and digitalization 

The new contract encompasses strategic programmes comprising more than 30 projects. Spanning six years, this new contract places significant emphasis on advancing efforts focused on sustainability and digitalization within the tire industry. In terms of sustainability, the focus will be on tire products developed with bio-based and recyclable materials. As for digitalization, the spotlights will be on data science and its application for accelerating sensor prototyping timeline and efficacy. The partnership will also focus on the development of sensors capable of real-time monitoring of tire wear, aimed at enhancing safety and facilitating maintenance procedures. Additionally, efforts will be dedicated to research and development in energy harvesting and storage for wireless sensors, ensuring their durability and efficiency over time. 

Supported by the Ministry of Economy and the Industrial Partnership Block Grants (IPBG) initiative of the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR), this second phase of the partnership is expected to kick off by the end of April.

Strategic research programmes 

Data Science for Tire Applications - At the forefront of the digital transition, this programme aims to fit within Goodyear’s “first time right” development objective. Data Program will help Goodyear engineers develop, test and validate tire models early in the development cycle, with the goal of identifying the best performing tires before building a first prototype. 

• Tire Sensor Technology - This programme will help develop materials-based sensing technology to aid Goodyear in embedding sensors for continuous tire monitoring.
• End-of-Life Tires – This programme targets the exploration and potential development of new materials and processing technology to help improve the reuse of end-of-life tires
• Sustainable Materials - Material development programmes are designed to investigate new raw materials that could be used in all kinds of tire architectures
• Structure-Process-Property Relationships - This programme will deliver new tools to better understand complex correlations of characterization results and material performance.

Additionally, LIST and Goodyear have already identified several potential fields of interest for future collaboration.

Damien Lenoble, Director of the materials department at LIST: “The ongoing and strengthened strategic collaboration with a global and multinational company such as Goodyear is a testament to the high quality of research conducted here at LIST. We are honoured and pleased that Goodyear expanded our trusted partnership. Together, we are dedicated to developing tires that are not only better performing and smarter but also more sustainable for both users and the planet. I wish to congratulate all the teams at Goodyear and LIST who have diligently nurtured and developed this research and innovation programme over the past year and beyond.”

Romain Hansen, Vice President, EMEA Product Development at Goodyear: “I am thrilled to see this second phase of the partnership come to life. Working with influential organizations like LIST is essential to Goodyear achieving its commitment to enable mobility today and tomorrow.”

Gatik's autonomous fleet, consisting of Class 3–7 box trucks, has made significant strides in enhancing the safety, accuracy and overall performance of autonomous vehicles (AVs). Equipping the fleet’s Goodyear Endurance® RSA® tires with Goodyear SightLine technology, the company’s comprehensive tire intelligence solution, enables Gatik to advance the safety and overall accuracy of its efficient fleet operations, while also improving delivery uptime and reliability. This year, Gatik plans to implement the intelligent tire solution into a significant portion of its autonomous fleet across the U.S. and Canada.

“Being the vehicle’s only contact point to the road, the tire can play a pivotal role in enabling the vehicle to react like a driver would,” said Chris Helsel, senior vice president, Global Operations and Chief Technology Officer, Goodyear. “Gatik is revolutionizing the autonomous technology space, and by providing real-time insights through intelligent tire data, we can support Gatik’s autonomous driving system to become even more safe, reliable and efficient.”

Through extensive on-road testing in a wide variety of challenging real-world driving scenarios, tire intelligence data regarding road conditions and tire health have helped Gatik advance its AV controllers with insights about accurate cornering and braking stiffness, rolling resistance and tire load. This data, which is communicated between Goodyear SightLine technology and Gatik’s autonomous driving system through a real-time feedback loop, has enabled Gatik to yield numerous performance enhancements, including the ability to adapt swiftly and safely to a variety of road conditions, even when the mass or payload of the truck varies by delivery.

"The groundbreaking integration of Goodyear SightLine technology into Gatik's autonomous fleet is a first in the industry. The real-time data derived from intelligent tire technology not only enhances the safety and predictability of our autonomous vehicles, but also enables us to maintain high levels of efficiency, reliability and delivery uptime throughout our operations," said Gautam Narang, Gatik CEO and Co-founder. "Our partnership with Goodyear is another step in advancing Gatik's leadership in autonomous technology, underscoring our commitment to ensuring that the true advantages of B2B middle mile logistics are brought to market."

The companies have partnered to conduct ongoing, rigorous testing at Goodyear’s San Angelo, Texas, Proving Grounds. Through this collaboration, Gatik is able to ensure its autonomous vehicles are tested extensively in a safe, closed course environment for both common and unusual road scenarios, including traffic lights, road signs, evasive maneuvers, tight turns, collision avoidance, precise lane keeping and minimum risk stopping distances.

Goodyear and Gatik have future plans to incorporate Goodyear's advanced predictive road condition monitoring solution into Gatik’s autonomous driving system. This integration will enable Gatik to strategically plan its operations, ensuring a consistent and reliable movement of goods for Gatik’s diverse customer base, encompassing the nation’s largest grocers, retailers, distributors, e-commerce platforms, and CPG companies.

A full  press kit can be downloaded here.

The ABS is an important safety component in modern vehicles designed to help the driver maintain steering control while braking. Through collaborative research and testing on a physical test vehicle, Goodyear and TNO effectively showcased that an improved ABS, equipped with information about the tire type and characteristics such as wear state, can potentially enhance overall system efficiency and reduce braking distance by as much as 5.75 feet¹.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were over 1.7 million rear-end crashes in 2021, accounting for nearly a third of all crashes in the United States². This integration can improve stopping distance performance, which has the potential to help drivers avoid accidents and reduce the severity of collisions, leading to enhanced road safety.

“Our collaborative work with TNO has yielded invaluable insights, with exciting possibilities to deliver greater value to our customers and support the future of mobility,” said Werner Happenhofer, vice president, Tire Intelligence and eMobility solutions, Goodyear. “At Goodyear, we believe that by harnessing the power of tire intelligence, we can contribute to the bold goal of future mobility to reduce accidents.”  

Goodyear and TNO began collaborating in 2021 through joint research and testing initiatives to evaluate and quantify the performance of the ABS controller on a physical car through the integration of intelligent tire information.

"TNO is dedicated to enhancing the safety, efficiency and sustainability of vehicles,” said Machteld de Kroon, managing director, Unit Mobility & Built Environment, TNO. “Our collaboration with Goodyear aims to minimize every centimeter of braking distance. We firmly believe that by improving the integration of tires and braking systems, we can contribute to reducing accidents and ultimately saving lives."

Today, Goodyear SightLine, the company’s suite of tire intelligence technologies, provides line of sight to the conditions of the tire, vehicle and road through advanced algorithms and real-time monitoring. Goodyear’s developments in tire intelligence technologies are poised to transform the future of transportation, ushering in a new era of smart and sustainable mobility. 

Full media pack is available for download on THIS LINK.

Together, the organizations plan to bring a robust tire sensing system to market, combining TDK’s software, sensor and electronic component expertise with Goodyear’s know-how in tire development, intelligent solutions and industry trends.

“As the automotive industry continues to technologically advance, so too does the need for real time intelligence from the road to the tire to the car. This alliance will have the joint benefit of accelerating both technology and customer access to the highest performance sensor technology in the market,” said Jim Tran, General Manager, Americas HQ and Deputy General Manager, Technology & Intellectual Property Center, TDK Corporation. “We look forward to this collaboration with Goodyear, a worldwide market leader in the automotive segment.”

The two industry leaders are in the process of conducting market research and technical exploration for a joint solution that delivers actionable insights improving vehicle performance, safety and efficiency.

“Working with influential organizations like TDK is essential to further innovate in the intelligence space. TDK’s expertise in the sensor and electronics space will be instrumental in maximizing the utility of what a tire can provide,” said Chris Helsel, Senior Vice President, Global Operations and Chief Technology Officer, Goodyear. “We are driving toward a mobility future where vehicles themselves are smarter, safer and more sustainable. Collaborations like this one can play a critical role in achieving these objectives.”

Both TDK and Goodyear will demonstrate their latest technologies and system solutions at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) from January 9-12, 2024, in Las Vegas (TDK - Central Hall (LVCC) Booth 20521, Goodyear – West Hall (LVCC) Booth 4917).

Full media package available for download on THIS LINK.

Collaboration named a CES 2024 Innovation Award Honoree

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, a global leader in connected mobility, and ZF, a global leader in vehicle systems and industrial technology, announced successful integration of tire intelligence technologies with vehicle motion control software.

The collaboration delivers Goodyear SightLine,* a suite of tire intelligence technologies, into the ZF cubiX®** ecosystem, a scalable vehicle motion control software that coordinates all dimensions of vehicle dynamics. This provides further tire and road data into the chassis system and enables an improved driving experience with better comfort, control and efficiency. 

“Goodyear SightLine will deepen our connection to the road and expand the scope and value of cubiX® by supporting the era of software-defined vehicles,” said Martin Fischer, Member of the Board of Management responsible for the ZF Chassis Solution division. “By joining our ecosystems, our customers will unlock a range of possibilities to customize and optimize their solutions in both vehicle motion and tire intelligence.”

Through research, virtual simulation and real-world testing, Goodyear and ZF have identified the potential of an integrated solution in improving vehicle performance and safety. Reducing the risk of hydroplaning, the Goodyear SightLine solution is capable of detecting partial hydroplaning early and offers recommendations for optimal speed to enhance vehicle control. Moreover, when heightened hydroplaning severity is detected, equipped with tire intelligence data, the cubiX software is designed to instruct the chassis actuators to apply corrective measures, stabilizing the vehicle.

Additionally, the synergy between Goodyear SightLine and cubiX capabilities can provide enhanced vehicle responsiveness, more direct and linear steering, improved turn-in response, increased stability, reduced controller workload and minimized intrusive interventions.

“Tires are the only part of the vehicle that touch the road and by digitizing this connection and equipping vehicle control actuators with critical insights, we can help optimize vehicle performance and safety,” said Chris Helsel, senior vice president, Global Operations and Chief Technology Officer, Goodyear. “This collaboration with ZF is a great way to demonstrate what tire intelligence, actionable insights and elite software applications can do for mobility.” 

Showcasing innovative design and engineering features, the integration of cubiX® and SightLine was recently named a CES 2024 Innovation Award Honoree within the vehicle technology and advanced mobility category.

*Goodyear SightLine, the company’s suite of tire intelligence technologies, provides line of sight to the conditions of the tire, vehicle and road. The technology communicates tire state, identification, road friction and other tire characteristics. Goodyear SightLine will continue to provide this integral information to make fleets, vehicles and, in the future, autonomous driving systems safer and more efficient. 

** cubiX®, ZF's first pure software product, coordinates vehicle dynamics as a holistic system. ZF cubiX® can control braking and steering systems, the vehicle’s (semi-) active damping system and further chassis and drive actuators. It offers another decisive advantage: The platform is compatible with various actuators such as dampers, brakes or rear-axle steering – regardless of the manufacturer or the specific design. This gives manufacturers the flexibility to implement different model series with one and the same control platform without additional integration effort. Future updates or upgrades to the software can be carried out "over-the-air" – i.e. wirelessly without a visit to the workshop.

B Roll available for download ON THIS LINK.

Using a range of sustainable materials in the tire tread compound, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has developed the Eagle GO concept tire, which will be fitted to Citroën’s new concept car, oli. 

For more than 120 years, Goodyear has pursued sustainable, low-maintenance innovations and inventions and partnering with Citroën continues a long-standing relationship between both brands. The Eagle GO is the third Goodyear concept tire developed with Citroën and has been created to optimise efficiency, durability and comfort.  

Sustainable-material tread compound 

This concept tire uses a compound in the tread, the part of the tire that wears, made of nearly all sustainable or recycled materials. These materials include sunflower oils, pine tree resins, natural rubber and rice husk ash silica. These materials are described below. 

•  Sunflower oils and pine tree resins are renewable solutions to replace petroleum-derived oils. These materials are currently being used to make ‘Vegetable Ink’ for printers. Goodyear’s goal is to fully replace petroleum-derived oils in its products by 2040. 
• Natural rubber from the Hevea brasiliensis tree is used to replace synthetic petroleum-based rubber, using responsible farming and cultivation methods¹. 
• Rice husk ash silica from rice processing can reduce waste going to landfills and has previously been used in reinforced concrete. 

Renewable tread 

The Eagle GO concept tire has the potential to be renewed twice across its lifetime, which increases the lifespan of the tire. Goodyear has set an objective for the Eagle GO concept tire to achieve up to 500,000km through the reuse of the sustainable carcass and renewable tread.   

Intelligent technology 

The Eagle GO concept tire uses Goodyear SightLine technology, which includes a sensor that monitors a variety of tire health parameters. This technology is already being applied to help Goodyear fleet customers and could significantly reduce waste and increase efficiency by maintaining ideal pressure and tire condition. Monitoring the health of the tire is an important factor in determining whether or when a tire can be renewed, thus increasing circularity and efficiency. Adding this technology to the Eagle GO concept tire is in line with Goodyear’s goal to reinvent tires and service, delivering data-and-sensor-enabled intelligence in all new products by 2027.  

 “Tire architecture has come a long way by incorporating sustainable materials and smart technologies,“ explained Laurent Colantonio, Regional Technology Director Consumer EMEA.  “With Citroën, we have a relationship that provides a great testbed for developing and testing new technologies and techniques.   

“Concept tires are a fantastic way for Goodyear to research and develop ground-breaking technologies that can make its way into our products. The learnings from this project will go towards our future as a mobility enabler that consistently innovates its products and services.” 

^[1] In line with Goodyear’s Natural Rubber Procurement Policy 

Within this page you can find the following assets:

Feature Articles: 

Goodyear reimagines the tire for a multi-modal future
Goodyear SightLine: Tire intelligence drives innovation

Video: 
Goodyear Beyond Tires
Goodyear SightLine Brand Film

A range of photo and b-roll footage of the event, including interviews with  experts from the team.

Starship Technologies, a Goodyear Ventures portfolio company, builds and operates a network of over 1,000 last mile autonomous robots that carry and deliver packages, groceries and food directly to customers.

To address Starship’s request related to tire health and maintenance, Goodyear developed a specially engineered airless tire designed to extend tire life and reduce maintenance activities for Starship’s delivery fleet.

Goodyear and Starship have entered an in-field testing phase at Bowling Green State University to evaluate vehicle and tire dependencies. Early on-vehicle tire testing data has shown positive results with respect to treadwear, braking and vibration dampening.

“We are excited to extend our unique airless tire architectures into new forms of mobility,” said Michael Rachita, Goodyear’s senior program manager, non-pneumatic tires. “The micro delivery space presents a different set of needs as it relates to the tire, and our NPT technology is ideal to meet those needs to help enable a maintenance-free and long-lasting experience.”

“Our delivery robots make thousands of deliveries every day in all types of weather conditions and terrain,” said Siim Viilup, mechanical engineering manager, Starship Technologies. “To make sure we can keep up with the growing demand for our services, we need tires that are reliable and keep our robots on the move around the clock and around the globe. It’s great to see these new tires offering reliability as well as cost savings as we scale our business.”

“We set an ambitious goal in 2020 to create a tire made 100% from sustainable materials in 10 years, and our scientists and engineers have made great progress toward that goal,” said Chris Helsel, senior vice president, global operations and chief technology officer. “This is an exciting achievement that demonstrates our commitment to increasing the use of sustainable materials in our tires.”

The 70% sustainable-material tire includes 13 featured ingredients across nine different tire components, including those described below. Company performance indicators have shown the component properties to deliver strong overall tire performance.

·         Carbon black is included in tires for compound reinforcement and to help increase their life and has traditionally been made by burning various types of petroleum products. Goodyear’s new tire features three different carbon blacks that are produced from methane, carbon dioxide, and plant-based oil. Initial life cycle assessments demonstrate either reduced carbon emissions compared with current methods of carbon black production or the use of bio-based or waste feedstock sources.

·         The use of soybean oil in tires is a significant Goodyear innovation that helps keep a tire’s rubber compound pliable in changing temperatures. Soybean oil is a bio-based resource that reduces Goodyear’s use of petroleum-based products. While nearly 100% of soy protein is used in food/animal feed applications, a significant surplus of oil is left over and available for use in industrial applications.

·         Silica is an ingredient often used in tires to help improve grip and reduce fuel consumption. Goodyear’s new tire contains a unique variety of silica produced from rice husk ash, a byproduct of rice processing that is often discarded and put into landfills. A high-quality silica has been produced from this waste ash.

·         Polyester is recycled from plastic bottles and other plastic waste by reverting the polyester into its base chemicals and reforming them into technical grade polyester feasible for tire cords. 

The 70% sustainable-material tire has been produced as a demonstration tire.

AmpUp supports the EV driving community through their advanced charging network and software solutions. With operations across North America, AmpUp aims to make charging accessible and seamless for every EV driver.

“Goodyear is interested in enabling the future of mobility, including within the EV sector,” said Abhijit Ganguly, managing director, Goodyear Ventures. “AmpUp will provide us with valuable insights on the latest electrification trends and bring their solutions to our fleet customers who are considering electrification.”

“AmpUp is thrilled to partner with Goodyear, whose commitment to innovation and electric mobility will be crucial to wide-scale adoption of EVs,” said Thomas Sun, CEO and Co-founder of AmpUp. “As a company focused on providing seamless charging solutions, AmpUp can’t wait to explore solutions with the Goodyear team nationwide.”

Goodyear Ventures fuels the future of mobility by partnering and investing in seed-to-growth-stage startups in emerging mobility technology, including EV mobility and infrastructure.

For more information on Goodyear Ventures, go to www.goodyearventures.com.

To learn more about AmpUp, visit www.ampup.io.

These ripples can grow into waves and cause the kind of disruption that changes the course of history. Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO of Starbucks, describes innovation: “Innovation must be disruptive. And by disruptive, I mean disruptive. You've got to fracture and break the rules and disrupt."

Innovation is about introducing something new, creating value and growth; disruption comes from taking that new thing and running with it as far as possible, creating major change. Not only do they allow businesses to differentiate themselves and flourish, but contribute to the advancement of the industry as a whole.

Innovation is also what allows us to anticipate the needs of consumers of the future. For Goodyear, this means contributing to the evolution of the automotive industry. Far more than a tire business, it's investing in — and partnering with — the innovators to help them change the industry.

Powerful partnerships

The future of mobility is a major focus for Goodyear; all types of vehicles are set to become more accessible to more people and have a wider variety of functions than ever before. Just this year, Goodyear partnered with Dutch research organisation TNO to connect its intelligent tires with TNO's ABS system, to reduce stopping distance loss by up to 30%. The aim of this cooperation is to maximize safety for the drivers of the future.

Goodyear also announced a highly exciting collaboration with electric car rental company UFODRIVE. This will see UFODRIVE's eMobility SaaS platform combined with Goodyear's intelligent tire monitoring system to improve electric vehicle fleet performance. As part of this collaboration, they'll conduct studies aimed at maximizing energy usage, saving on tire replacement costs, and minimizing the carbon impact of fleets.

Then there's Voyomotive, a connected car technology company with which Goodyear has joined forces to pilot tire monitoring solutions to improve vehicle efficiency. The aim is to give customers the ability to proactively correct anomalies and get their tire inflation right long before the car can alert them, improving efficiency.

Investing in a new age

Investing in innovation is important to the progression of a business because it supports the creation and development of new ideas. It enables the bringing together of a diverse range of expertise for the best possible outcome. The biggest and fastest-moving companies in the world invest in innovation constantly, knowing that it's how businesses progress and thrive in the fast-moving modern world.

Alongside some vital partnerships, Goodyear is investing in visionary startups through Goodyear Ventures. These are organizations that are changing the face of the future of mobility – something Goodyear, with its long legacy of innovation, is able to elevate.

For example, Starship Technologies is creating a shift in the supply chain with autonomous robots that can carry and deliver items — something that will drastically change last-mile logistics. At a customer's request via an app, parcels and groceries can be picked up by these advanced robots and delivered anywhere within a four-mile radius. Not only do they save money and energy compared with using vehicles, but they're safe and secure, moving at pedestrian speed with the intelligence to move around obstacles.

The interest in the future and autonomy doesn't end there. Goodyear has invested in TuSimple, a company that has created a new standard in safety with self-driving technology specifically designed for heavy-duty trucks. These reliable, low-cost freight services are set to transform logistics as we know it.

Autonomous technology is far from the only area Goodyear Ventures is investing in. With Envoy, it's diversified its portfolio by investing in an organisation that is making the future of mobility a community affair. It's an electric car-sharing service and platform that provides EVs as exclusive amenities in workplaces, hotels, and apartments, with dedicated parking spaces and charging stations. With short-term car rental services already growing in popularity, mobility as a service is the inevitable evolution.

Leading by example

This is why Goodyear is far, far more than just tires. In fact, it's always had one foot in advanced innovation. From building and testing the first American-made synthetic rubber tire in 1937, to creating the first tires that landed on the moon for Apollo 14 in 1971, to inventing the Eagle radial racing tyre that enabled Al Unser Sr. to gain his fourth Indianapolis 500 victory in 1987, Goodyear has never stopped aiming as high as imaginable.

Some businesses innovate without realizing it, always improving their operations in small ways for benefit of their customers. Others make it a priority, which is the best way to optimize innovation and contribute to true disruption. Whether or not it's about writing the script for the future of mobility, the way Goodyear is doing with its partners, these powerful collaborations are what shape the future across each and every sector of business.

For more information on Goodyear Ventures, go to www.goodyearventures.com.

For the past three years, Goodyear and Local Motors have tested an Olli shuttle supported by the NPT at Goodyear testing facilities and other locations reaching several performance targets with respect to load, speed and durability.

In 2019, Goodyear pivoted its NPT concentration to on-road testing and a growing relationship with Local Motors. While this testing phase will reveal more about non-pneumatic tires, airless tires may offer sustainable, maintenance-free and longer-lasting options. The urban transportation environment provides an ideal testing scenario for the alternative tire architecture given its lower speed and less variable travel paths.

Goodyear and Local Motors will gather experiential data from the JTA, looking for viewpoints on ride comfort, noise and other variables. “As mobility evolves, we feel that tires can transform the way we move and alternative airless architectures are ideal, particularly in the emerging autonomous transportation environment,” said Michael Rachita, Goodyear’s senior program manager, non-pneumatic tires. “This is an important milestone as we look to advance mobility today and as we look to introduce the first completely sustainable and maintenance-free tires by the end of the decade.”

“The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is proud to integrate this innovative and sustainable technology into our Autonomous Vehicle Test & Learn program as we develop the future of mobility through the Ultimate Urban Circulator,” said JTA CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. “This collaboration is another example of how Jacksonville is leading the public transportation industry in developing AV mobility solutions.”

“Testing with best-in-class software and technology partners is enabling the JTA to lead globally in readiness for the use of autonomous platform in an urban environment. We are excited for the opportunity to extend the Test & Learn program with the JTA, Goodyear and Local Motors to prove out the use of other innovations such as the Goodyear airless tires, as this will only further transform transportation as we know it,” said Joe Moye, Beep CEO.

"Autonomous vehicles, like Olli, need to decrease maintenance costs and perform reliably," said Local Motors President Vikrant Aggarwal. "Goodyear's non-pneumatic tires are positioned to give maintenance teams less to worry about while giving passengers a quiet, consistent ride. Non-pneumatic tires may just be the industry standard in the coming years."

With a view to streamlining data collection, Goodyear has joined forces with ZF to provide a combined suite of connectivity solutions. This will maximise vehicle and trailer safety, efficiency, and uptime while optimizing fleet operations. This is an important step towards the wide-scale digitisation of the transportation industry.

Grégory Boucharlat, VP commercial Europe at Goodyear, explains the need for this in the industry, he says: “Data can provide so many opportunities to fleets but it's only useful if it's easily accessible. Goodyear has partnered with ZF to provide integrated tyre and vehicle management solutions that will support fleet managers in making decisions and improving efficiency."

The data available to fleet managers has, historically, been fragmented and difficult to access. This makes it much harder for fleet managers to take advantage of digital transformation opportunities; despite the many benefits to being able to use this data to automate processes, use machine learning, and digitise information flows. Not only can this kind of data make a fleet more operationally efficient, but it can also help obtain visibility on environmental impact and regulatory standards.

Goodyear and ZF are coming together to address these challenges and give fleet managers access to these benefits. The interoperable solutions will make it simpler to track data on both tyre and vehicle performance — all through one device. Being able to connect the dots in this way allows fleet managers to see the bigger picture and make more informed decisions.

The strategic collaboration brings together Goodyear's Total Mobility and ZF's advanced Fleet Management Solutions (FMS) capabilities. This expanded suite of harmonized services will offer transportation companies a one-stop solution to manage and understand the information available to them. Combining historical data will also allow for preventative maintenance, which helps to reduce downtime that could cause delays or present potential safety issues for drivers.

Boucharlat adds: “This collaboration will continue to evolve, incorporating innovation from both ZF and Goodyear. We'll be able to increase the value of the data and present more solutions to fleet managers to help further improve competitiveness."

The transportation industry is in the midst of a digital revolution. OEMs and fleets that are able to embrace this now will have more data to work with in the future. This can inform everything from operations to maintenance and beyond.

Alberto Villarreal, Managing Director Proactive Solutions and Fleet for Goodyear Commercial Europe said: “With DrivePoint, tyre pressure checks take just seconds to perform. Regular checks help to increase uptime whilst maximising fuel efficiency and reducing fleet’s carbon footprint. In addition to our other advanced and predictive solutions, it’s an easy to install solution that will meet the needs of many operators who want to maximize their fleets’ uptime while reducing their operating costs.”

Easy to install and advanced data-access

The Goodyear DrivePoint comprises on-valve tire pressure sensors and on-yard battery-powered receivers that read the pressure status in all the tires instantly while a vehicle is driving through them.

Collected data is uploaded to the Goodyear cloud providing easy access and reporting via the Goodyear Fleet Manager mobile and web IOS and Android friendly applications. If the pressure is below the recommended level the fleet manager receives an immediate alert in order to avoid a potential tire incident that could result in a vehicle stoppage and breakdown costs.

This new solution does not require demounting of the tyre as the sensors can be quickly installed on the valves reducing installation complexity and associated downtime. It is especially developed for transport and logistics companies looking for an easy-to-use yet very efficient tyre pressure monitoring solution.

“DrivePoint adds a cost-effective ‘on-yard’ alternative for our customers. The system is easy-to-install and requires minimum follow-up maintenance. It offers the fleet full visibility on the tyre pressure levels of each vehicle enabling them to plan maintenance more effectively. Frequent vehicle tyre checks help reduce the chance of missed deliveries due to vehicle downtime. They also help to ensure maximized safety, efficiency and sustainability. Our focus is on delivering solutions that drive results for fleet operators and bring added value to their customers.,” added Villarreal.

More information

Goodyear DrivePoint Factsheet 
Goodyear DrivePoint webpage

Goodyear SightLine will help enable seamless, safe and reliable mobility for all vehicles starting with cargo vans serving the field service, construction and last-mile delivery industries.

Later this year, Goodyear SightLine will also be available to Goodyear’s original equipment customers and emerging fleet and mobility providers.

Initially available in North America and Europe, Goodyear SightLine uses sensors with cloud-based algorithms to communicate with fleet operators in real-time.

Goodyear’s proprietary predictive maintenance technologies can help to address many challenges facing drivers and fleet managers today, including predicting breakdowns, minimizing downtime and monitoring tire pressure and wear for enhanced safety and more cost-efficient mobility.

"Much like smart watches that monitor vitals like heartrates and oxygen levels, Goodyear SightLine’s tire intelligence monitors the health of a tire,” said Chris Helsel, senior vice president, global operations and chief technology officer. “Goodyear SightLine takes the mystery out of understanding tires and provides proactive mobility insights to communicate when tires need service or replacement.”

Goodyear has accumulated billions of test miles on tire solutions powered by Goodyear SightLine through pilot programs and with its launch establishes the groundwork for a connected-tire future in which every tire provides intelligence. Goodyear has articulated a company goal to have tire intelligence in all new products by 2027.

In the future, Goodyear SightLine technology will not only provide feedback on the tire, but provide feedback on road conditions, enabling connected, autonomous mobility. Initial testing has shown integrating Goodyear SightLine technology into a vehicle’s control’s system can reduce stopping distance loss by 30%.

For more information, visit www.goodyearsightline.com.

The expanded suite of high performing tyres and interoperable data-driven tyre and fleet management solutions will offer transportation companies a one-stop solution enabling more efficient and sustainable operations. The customizable value proposition offered by Goodyear and ZF will further ease the digital transformation process for fleets and OEMS by connecting multiple data streams from one common telematics hardware.

“The turnkey proposition proposed by Goodyear and ZF is addressing the growing complexity linked to demanding fleet operations,” said Grégory Boucharlat, Vice President, Commercial Europe for Goodyear. “It enables operators to stay agile and make informed decisions to boost vehicle uptime, promote more economical driving, extend the service life of tyres and assets, lower emissions and improve customer service delivery management based on an integrated tyre and fleet dataset translated into actionable insights.”

“ZF’s collaboration with Goodyear harnesses the expertise and extensive capabilities of two industry-leaders behind a shared conviction to offer European fleets and trailer builders the benefits of a one-stop Fleet Management solution.“ said Peter Bal, Business Leader – Digital Customer Services, EMEA with ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Control System division. “Our ability to supply an integrated solution, with reduced hardware investment, means customers can benefit from simplified operations as they seek to gain further efficiency, as well as enhanced safety and cargo security.”

One-stop solution for smart tyre and trailer managementIn 2019, Goodyear introduced its customizable Goodyear Total Mobility value proposition, providing full tyre monitoring and management insights from mounting the right tyres per type of operations, planning proactive maintenance and retreading. The innovative offer includes the Goodyear Tyre Pressure Monitoring system with proprietary G-Predict algorithm providing real-time proactive alerts and preventing up to 90% of tyre related breakdowns.¹ 

Through an interoperable and flexible solution, based on a single telematics unit, called TX-TRAILERPULSE^TM, customers can now access the services and support of both companies including ZF’s Transics FMS solutions:

• combining TX-TRAILERPULSE^TM solution and TX-TRAILERFIT^TM insights with FleetOnlineSolutions tyre management of Goodyear will provide a full view on the performance, usage and health of both tyres and the trailer park. Fleets will benefit in terms of faster service, precise tyre mileage insights, avoiding premature tyre change and trailer maintenance. Truck and trailer rental companies can provide increased transparency linked to accurate trailer and tyre-use by the end customer.
• TX-CONNECT^TM shares real-time data on the trailer position, geofencing, traffic and enables customer’s cargo follow-up. Service providers can access the data as well to plan proactive maintenance during waiting and resting times.

The integrated tyre and fleet management offer will bring visibility and operational efficiency to a new height, in terms of:

• Flexibility - customers select a service and solution package in line with their needs
• Simplification - one common hardware and integrated dashboard providing tyre, vehicle and cargo management data access, allowing further integration of brand-agnostic systems already used in the daily operations.
• Time-savings – fact-based decision making and actionable insights to prevent downtime and plan proactive maintenance. Comprehensive set-up resulting in shorter installation time.
• Customer experience – both partners will provide expert road and fleet assistance via a strong pan-European service network.

Supporting advanced mobility and sustainable transport objectivesThe collaboration will build on its joint data-driven monitoring and predictive analytics capabilities to help EU trailer OEMS and commercial fleets smoothly transition to future regulations including the GSR5 TPMS regulations requiring HCV’s to be progressively equipped with TPMS as of July 2022. As well as the EU General Safety Regulation mandated advanced safety functions.

Supporting greener mobility, smart monitoring technology and low rolling resistance tyres are striving to contribute to positively impacting total vehicle CO2 emissions. For example, a 100-truck fleet can lower its emissions by 4% and TCO by €40,000 a year, through fuel-cost savings by using low rolling resistance tyres.²

Moving forward, the partners will continue to deliver the very latest, future-proof and customized support for large fleets and trailer manufacturersacross Europe. 

More information can be found on Goodyear Truck. 

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¹. Comparison of 50 fleets and after installation of Goodyear TPMS in 2019, based on internal field tests.

^2. Potential savings based on a Goodyear calculation model, taking into account the rolling resistance performance of new tyres. Actual savings may vary based upon vehicle condition and maintenance, traffic conditions, driver behaviour and other factors.

“In 2020, Goodyear associates were more agile and resilient than ever before, delivering on immediate business needs and serving our customers, first responders and essential workers,” said Richard J. Kramer, chairman, chief executive officer and president. “Our actions continue to be guided by Goodyear Better Future, our corporate responsibility framework, that unites us in our commitment to safety, quality, integrity and responsibility.”

Goodyear’s 2020 report is organized by the pillars of the Better Future framework, which are Sustainable Sourcing, Responsible Operations, Advanced Mobility and Inspiring Culture. Some of the report’s highlights include:

Sustainable Sourcing: In 2020, Goodyear introduced its fourth consumer tire line that features soybean oil as a replacement for petroleum-derived oils. Soybean oil is a bio-based, renewable resource that helps keep a tire’s rubber compound pliable in low temperatures, a key performance achievement in maintaining and enhancing grip in dry, wet and winter weather.

Responsible Operations: In 2020, Goodyear continued its work to reduce its environment impact, achieving a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity, a 19% reduction in energy intensity and a 55% reduction in water intensity, all compared to a 2010 baseline.

Advanced Mobility: In 2020, Goodyear continued its focus on improving fuel efficiency by achieving a 31% reduction in rolling resistance and an 8.2% reduction in tire weight in its global consumer tire portfolio from a 2005 baseline. In addition, Goodyear introduced bold technology goals, including for all Goodyear tires to be data- and sensor-enabled intelligent tires by 2027 and for the development of a 100% sustainable-material and maintenance-free tire by 2030.

Inspiring Culture: In 2020, associate membership in Goodyear’s Employee Resources Groups (ERGs) continued to grow. The seven ERGs now have more than 3,000 global members and 32 global chapters. Despite the pandemic, the ERGs held more than 200 professional development and networking events in the past two years.

Goodyear’s 2020 report was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards: Core option. This year’s report can be found on Goodyear's Corporate Website corporate.goodyear.com 

About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 62,000 people and manufactures its products in 46 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.

The companies will together pursue opportunities to integrate their complementary mobility solutions, including Goodyear’s intelligent tire monitoring system and proactive solutions suite and UFODRIVE’s advanced eMobility software as a service platform.

Goodyear and UFODRIVE will also conduct studies designed to optimize vehicle utilization and servicing to maximize energy usage and tire replacement cost savings and minimize the carbon impact of fleets.

“Working with UFODRIVE is a unique opportunity for us to expand the successful Goodyear Total Mobility fleet solutions from our commercial truck and bus business to the rapidly evolving EV passenger fleet landscape,” said Hakan Bayman, president of Goodyear’s consumer business in Europe. “We anticipate overall demand for shared mobility services to continue growing in the coming years, with a particular emphasis on contactless solutions.”

Launched in 2019, Goodyear Total Mobility is an end-to-end fleet offering that brings together premium tires and a suite of data-driven monitoring and predictive analytics solutions to provide fleet operators with real-time tire performance information, including pressure and temperature.

UFODRIVE has developed and proven its eMobility platform by delivering a radically better car rental experience in eight countries and 17 locations across Europe in less than two years.

“Working with a tier one mobility company like Goodyear allows UFODRIVE to expand on its mission to deliver a seamless transition to electric mobility for shared fleets,” said UFODRIVE CEO Aidan McClean. “The electric revolution is accelerating, and we are delighted to collaborate with Goodyear to pioneer unique SaaS features such as fleet utilization maximization, energy savings and optimized electric routing for fleet owners.”

About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 62,000 people and manufactures its products in 46 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.
 

About UFODRIVE

UFODRIVE is an advanced eMobility platform allowing mobility providers go electric, shared and contactless. UFODRIVE has developed and proven the platform by delivering a radically better car rental experience in eight countries. The first all-digital, all-electric car rental service controlled from an app. UFODRIVE receives the highest net promotor score in car rental with an incredible customer experience that's simple, easy and fast. No queues, no paperwork, no refueling, no extra costs with zero-emissions. UFODRIVE goes beyond NetZero emissions with biosphere regeneration credits for every clean kilometer driven. Customers, experience hassle free electric driving with real-time optimized charging and routing, using our advanced AI eMobility platform.

For more information about UFODRIVE, go to www.ufodrive.com

Cities are already becoming increasingly smart with many employing cloud-based technology to analyze and manage data to help improve the quality of life.At the moment, this takes the form of shared data that makes city living easier or solves certain problems. For example, the city of Amsterdam shares its traffic and transportation data with third-party developers who can then create mapping apps that connect to transport systems. This means that getting around the city is easy, no matter what form of transport you choose.

Copenhagen is also leading the way with its commitment to become a carbon-neutral capital by 2025. The Copenhagen Connecting plan will provide an integrated approach to data sharing that aims to improve city services. Intelligent use of wireless data from cell phones, GPS in busses, and sensors in sewers and garbage cans will assist Copenhagen politicians in achieving the city's objectives of reduced congestion, air pollution, and CO2 emissions.

In the U.S., Goodyear together with EASE Logistics and the City of Dublin, Ohio, announced collaboration in the areas of tire intelligence and cloud-based logistics within an innovation region in Ohio known as the Beta District. With the potential to share and enhance data on connected mobility, these experiments could lead to new products and solutions that will benefit cities in the future.

The connected car plays a vital role

With this kind of data sharing increasing in cities all over Europe, things will only get smarter. For this to work, however, we need to look at the connected car. Cars that are connected to the world around them will significantly improve how we move around a city. From ensuring that traffic keeps moving, to reducing congestion at peak times, to keeping roads in good condition, there's a surprising amount that a connected car can do for our cities.

Goodyear's intelligent tires are a great example of how technology is being introduced into cars that could have wide-reaching benefit in the future. At the moment, these tires enable fleets of last mile delivery trucks and car sharing companies to better manage their tire usage. The sensors in the tire report back important information such as wear, temperature and pressure, allowing fleet managers to address any issues that could result in downtime of their vehicles.

As we look to the future, and look at moving from internal combustion engines to electric motors with fewer moving parts, the tire becomes that main part that needs to be managed and replaced. Sensors help with uptime but they'll also play a large part in autonomous fleets, too.

Goodyear is working towards, for example, being able to find out the state of the road the vehicle is on. Is it wet? Is it snowy? Is it slippery? And based on that information from the tire, providing the autonomous vehicle information on stopping distances, for example, as a key to an autonomous future.

Intelligent tires aren't a far off pipe dream either, as Goodyear plans to see these tires on consumer vehicles as soon as this year.

The city of the future is more sustainable

Under-inflated tires, roads in poor condition, and congested junctions all contribute to city pollution but as our cities and vehicles become more intelligent, all these aspects will improve. Goodyear estimates that 20% of vehicles on the road are running under-inflated tires, which directly impacts their fuel economy. So even that alone can make a huge difference to city driving.

Cars communicating with traffic lights can help with congestion and minimize how many vehicles are stop-starting in residential areas, and smart street lighting can monitor traffic levels then direct in-car navigation systems appropriately. The use of electric vehicles and autonomous fleets alongside micromobility schemes would further contribute to the sustainability of a city.

We're on our way

Our cities are getting increasingly smart and the more the infrastructure is able to connect with different departments, vehicles, and pedestrians, this will only increase. As we move towards a world where ride-hailing, car sharing, and even autonomous transport, become more commonplace, there's going to be a shift in mindset to accommodate all these forms of mobility — alongside traditional public transport and car ownership.

To make city mobility as seamless as possible, it requires a smart connected eco-system that not only makes transport more accessible and safe but also improves living standards within the city by decreasing pollution.

Building upon the company’s Business Conduct Manual and Supplier Code of Conduct, the policy, which can be reviewed here, features these important components:

• Human Rights – Goodyear will work to ensure its soybean oil supply chain supports and protects the rights of all involved and fosters a positive working environment at all levels of the supply chain.
• Responsible Land Acquisition and Use – Goodyear will work to promote an environmentally and socially responsible soybean supply chain, free from deforestation and land grabbing.
• Soybean Oil Processing – Goodyear expects its soybean oil suppliers to manufacture their products in a responsible and environmentally friendly manner.
• Soybean Growing and Harvesting – Goodyear encourages its suppliers and any sub-suppliers to implement the best-known cultivation and agricultural practices, including, as applicable, those outlined by The Round Table for Responsible Soy.
• Supplier Alignment – Goodyear encourages its soybean oil suppliers and sub-suppliers to demonstrate commitment to responsible practices.
• Policy Implementation and Compliance – Goodyear is committed to the corruption-free and transparent implementation of the policy.

As part of its commitment to sustainable sourcing, Goodyear is increasing its use of sustainable materials in its products, including soybean oil. Goodyear scientists and engineers – with the support from the United Soybean Board – developed a tread compound in which soybean oil replaced some or all petroleum-derived oil, discovering that soybean oil helps keep a tire’s rubber compound pliable in changing temperatures, a key performance achievement to maintaining and enhancing vehicle grip on roadways.

Goodyear commercialized this innovation in its Assurance WeatherReady™ consumer tire line in 2017, the Eagle Enforcer All Weather™ in 2018, the Eagle Exhilarate™ in 2019 and the Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive in 2020.

Goodyear’s 2020 use of soybean oil increased 73% over 2018 usage, making progress toward its long-term goal of full petroleum oil replacement in its products by 2040.

Goodyear’s soybean oil procurement policy is effective immediately and applies to all soybean-based materials sourced by Goodyear operations worldwide.

“The safe and efficient operation of consumer vehicles and fleets is important both for today and for the future of mobility,” said John Brainerd, manager of Goodyear’s Akron Innovation Lab. “Goodyear continues to develop and expand our portfolio of digital tire information to help users realize this goal. We are excited to collaborate with innovative companies like Voyomotive to continue to deliver connected mobility solutions.”

Using real-time vehicle data provided by Voyomotive telematics controllers, information is processed by Goodyear analytics to create tire pressure loss and pressure alerts that are sent to customers via the Voyomotive app, SMS messages or to a fleet management system.

This service is being provided to Voyomotive consumer and fleet customers, offering a tire maintenance advantage and pressure monitoring solution for enhanced vehicle efficiency and safety. With tire intelligence data, customers can proactively address pressure anomalies with their tires, maintaining optimal inflation pressure which leads to better tire performance and gas mileage.

“This is a first of its kind tire application that uses Voyomotive’s advanced telematics data with Goodyear analytics to increase driving safety and fleet readiness,” said Peter Yorke, CEO of Voyomotive. “We are excited to work with Goodyear to offer this tire intelligence solution as it is a demonstration of our mutual commitment to bring new digital applications to the hundreds of millions of vehicles now on the road.”

For more information, visit https://www.voyomotive.com/tire or email Contact@voyomotive.com.

About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 62,000 people and manufactures its products in 46 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.

About Voyomotive

Headquartered in San Francisco, with a research and development facility in Saline, Michigan, Voyomotive is bringing the world’s most advanced connected car technology to market. VOYO goes above and beyond any telematics system available in the aftermarket, providing next-generation visibility into a single vehicle or an entire fleet. The consumer-friendly, plug-and-play solution, VOYO, reads both manufacturer and generic DTCs from all vehicle controllers and automatically adapts its hardware configuration to any specific vehicle make, model and year. The comprehensive Voyomotive Platform includes plug-in vehicle controllers, APIs and a Data Analytics Gateway that enables licensees to access a large pool of vehicle operating data for analysis, research, product development and forward engineering. Learn more at voyomotive.com/gateway.

The study will look for more meaningful integration with the intent to optimize braking distance when considering tire operating and road-surface conditions. Both companies are focused on maximizing potential safety and sustainability implications and expect to share results in early 2022.

“There is a tremendous opportunity when you consider the information the tire can convey to the vehicle in a connected environment,” said Chris Queen, Goodyear senior director, innovation technology. “TNO has a like-minded commitment to a better future, and we are excited to advance this demonstration to see how we can continue to improve vehicle performance.”

“TNO is focused on increasing the safety, efficiency and sustainability of traffic and transport and this collaboration is designed on saving every centimeter possible of braking distance,” said Ellen Lastdrager, Managing Director of the TNO Traffic and Transport Department. “We feel strongly that we can help reduce accidents and save lives as we better integrate tires and braking systems.”

Connected tires are the only part of a vehicle that touches the road, and that critical position allows tires to feedback information providing actionable information to the vehicle. As mobility evolves and vehicles and cities become smarter, Goodyear’s intelligent tires aim to transform the way we drive.

About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 62,000 people and manufactures its products in 46 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.

About TNO

The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) is an independent research organization. We connect people and knowledge to create innovations that boost the sustainable competitive strength of industry and well-being of society. Now and in the future. This is our mission and it is what drives us, the over 3.500 professionals at TNO, in our work every day. We work in collaboration with partners and focus on transitions or changes in nine social themes that we have identified together with our stakeholders. TNO’s unit Traffic and Transport has the ambition to help create livable, sustainable cities through clean, safe, reliable and affordable mobility and logistics. TNO - innovation for life | TNO

"Goodyear Ventures is excited to join Starship's journey as it revolutionizes the autonomous delivery space,” said Abhijit Ganguly, senior manager, Goodyear Ventures. “Goodyear's trusted services footprint combined with its custom solutions for autonomous vehicle companies comprise a solid platform to support Starship in the market."

The investment approach of Goodyear Ventures focuses on several themes shaping mobility, including electric and autonomous technologies. The venture capital fund amplifies Goodyear's legacy of innovation by partnering and investing in seed-to-growth-stage startups that have a shared vision of sustainable, safe and new mobility experiences that make life’s connections easier every day.

For more information on Goodyear Ventures, go to www.goodyearventures.com.

About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 62,000 people and manufactures its products in 46 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.

About Starship Technologies

Starship Technologies is revolutionizing deliveries with autonomous robots that are designed to deliver food, groceries and packages locally in minutes. The delivery robots have traveled millions of miles and completed over 1 million autonomous deliveries around the world. They drive autonomously but are monitored by humans who can take control at any time. Starship was founded by Skype co-founders, Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis.

As part of this collaboration, Goodyear will provide products and repair services to enhance the safety and operation of autonomous trucks. Additionally, Goodyear and TuSimple will conduct wear studies designed to understand how autonomous trucks and tires can help better predict maintenance, understand tire longevity and reduce the carbon impact of fleets.

Collected data from the study will also deliver insights into the difference between an autonomous and human driver with respect to the tires.

“With our leadership in products, fleet support and advanced innovations, Goodyear is applying knowledge to help deliver performance and safety with autonomous vehicles,” according to Erin Spring, Goodyear’s director, new ventures.

TuSimple launched the AFN in July with the goal to provide reliable low-cost freight transportation throughout the lower 48 United States through the use of Level 4 autonomous trucks.

“Autonomous trucks offer game-changing advantages for both shippers and fleets,” said Robert Brown, Senior Director External Affairs, TuSimple. “One of the most powerful advantages is the increased capacity, which comes as a result of the fact autonomous trucks can operate nearly continuously, and with this dramatic increase in truck utilizations comes the need to better understand predictive maintenance requirements.”

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About TuSimple

TuSimple is a self-driving technology company headquartered in San Diego, California with facilities in Tucson, Shanghai, and Beijing. TuSimple is developing a commercial-ready Level 4 (SAE) autonomous driving solution specifically designed to meet the demands of long-haul heavy-duty trucks and aims to transform the $800 billion U.S. trucking industry. The company was founded in 2015 with a mission to improve the safety and efficiency of the trucking industry and reached unicorn status in 2019. For more information, go to tusimple.com/media.

To capitalise on the opportunities of the digital age, there are a number of areas that need addressing; both from a time-pressure point of view as well as in terms of controlling costs. It's important that fleets are preventing downtime as much as possible and increasing winter mobility while also controlling fuel costs, reducing tire wear, and cutting the costs of maintenance and admin.

There are plenty of technological advancements that help fleet managers achieve maximum operating efficiency but on top of tyre sensors and time-saving tech, having the right support can do just as much to help fleets keep up with the demand of the modern world.

Implement time-saving technology

Taking note of ongoing repetitive tasks can help to identify areas where technology might save some time. Whether it's checking tyres, admin jobs in the office, or getting time sheets from drivers, there's a solution out there that could save both time and money.

For example, a drive-over-reader installed at fleet depots and will automatically check the condition and load per axle of all tyres as a vehicle drives over it. This is a piece of technology that drastically reduces the need to manually check tyre pressures and tread — for 50 vehicles, that brings the time spent checking from 20 hours down to just one. For Swiss bus company TPF, which has 55 city and 170 regional buses, this saves an enormous amount of time.

Control fuel costs

Most new vehicles are more efficient than their predecessors but to upgrade an entire fleet can be costly. In the interim, there are a number of ways to control fuel costs, from economic driving through to sensible tyre choices.

The correct fuel-efficient tyres have helped the fleet of Omega Pilzno to substantially reduce fuel costs.

Reduce tyre wear

Cost-management is just as important as increasing revenue when margins are becoming more and more squeezed — reducing tyre wear can play a big part in cutting costs. 

Prevent downtime

Whether its about preventing downtime of vehicles back at base or trying to minimise breakdowns and other issues out on the road, it's clear that reduced downtime leads to increased revenue. The more vehicles can be out doing their jobs, the quicker customers are served — plus no one likes having to wait when timelines are already tight.

A transport company's reputation lies in the ability to do the job they’ve promised. 

But of course, things don't always go to plan — and it is down to Jean-Pierre to ensure that trucks get moving again as soon as possible.

Looking for ways to increase efficiency is paramount to surviving these challenging times and will open up even more opportunities to excel customer excellence, reduce costs and optimize revenue. It's worth taking a step back to look at operations with a critical eye to see areas where key technologies or partnerships could improve an area of the business.

Goodyear’s concept tires are tailor-made to benefit the modern, sleek and sporty design of the Lexus. They support EV motors and are designed to improve the overall comfort and performance of the car.
 

“We are proud to have worked on this project with Lexus, a company that has been pioneering innovations in mobility for 30 years”, explains Mike Rytokoski, Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer, Goodyear Europe, “This collaboration demonstrates once again the critical role tires can play in shaping the future of electric mobility.”
 

The LF-30 Electrified concept tire includes several innovative features:

• EV motor cooling: Drawing on Goodyear’s expertise in aerodynamics, the concept tires are designed to improve the cooling of the EV motors. Cool air enters through the front bumper intake and fins on the tires drive the flow towards the electric motor positioned behind each wheel. The hot air produced by the EV motor is then expelled towards the outer edge of the rim of the LF-30 Electrified.
   
• Reduced aerodynamic drag: The tire design along with the outer tire shape would improve the Lexus’ aerodynamics by reducing drag, resulting in higher efficiency and battery range.
   
• Noise reduction through biomimicry: Goodyear found inspiration in nature when designing the concept tires. The leading edges of the cooling fins are covered with fine velvet like on the wings of an owl, which enables the predator to silently catch their prey at night. Through this biomimetic solution, the rolling noise of the tire would be reduced to a minimum.
   

Goodyear’s concept tire for the Lexus LF-30 Electrified concept comes in a 285/35R24 size.

“Goodyear wants the tire to be an even more powerful contributor to answering consumers’ specific mobility needs, said Mike Rytokoski, Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer, Goodyear Europe, “It was with that ambition that we set out to create a concept tire primed for the future of personalized and convenient electric mobility.”

The reCharge concept includes a number of innovative features that are built around three pillars:

Personalized

• At the core of the reCharge concept is a reloadable and biodegradable tread compound that can be recharged with individual capsules, radically simplifying the process of replacing your tires. Filled with a customized liquid compound, these capsules allow the tread to regenerate and the tire to adapt over time to climatic circumstances, road conditions, or simply how you want to travel. Thanks to artificial intelligence a driver profile would be created around which the liquid compound would be customized, generating a compound blend tailored to each individual.

Sustainable

• The compound itself would be made from a biological material and would be reinforced with fibres inspired by one of the toughest natural materials in the world - spider silk. This would make it both extremely durable and 100 percent biodegradable.

Hassle-Free

• In addition to radically simplifying the process of replacing your tires with rechargeable capsules, the tread would be supported by a light-weight, non-pneumatic frame and tall-and-narrow shape. This is a thin, robust low-maintenance construction that would eliminate the need for pressure maintenance or downtime related to punctures.

“The Goodyear reCharge is a concept tire without compromise, supporting personalized, sustainable and hassle-free electric mobility,” concluded Sebastien Fontaine, Lead Designer at the Goodyear Innovation Centre in Luxembourg.

Combining a traction level to meet the severe snow 3PMSF requirement while also delivering rolling resistance performance as an A-class tire is a significant achievement. Enabling both premium traction and premium fuel efficiency – a benefit from rolling resistance performance – helps represent an example of Goodyear’s successful role in future mobility solutions.

The project represented great teamwork and cross-functional collaboration between Goodyear’s technology teams in Luxembourg and Germany, leveraging the most recent tread pattern developments conducted in the replacement all-season lines, as well as new rubber compounding formulations. The Goodyear teams have been working with vehicle manufacturers on this technological breakthrough, with fitments planned for later this year on vehicles such as the Peugeot 2008/3008/5008, DS3 Crossback and DS7 Crossback.

Several additional Goodyear fitments for other original equipment manufacturers will follow this year.

“This project is a great example of anticipating the needs of the customer, demonstrating our technical superiority, and converting advanced technology into customer benefits,” said Xavier Fraipont, Goodyear’s vice president of EMEA Product Development.

Note: In European Tire Labeling, there are three categories: Fuel Efficiency; Wet Grip and Tire External Rolling Noise. In the Fuel Efficiency category, seven classes exist, ranging from G (least efficient) to A (most efficient).

Goodyear is developing a bespoke tyre for Pure ETCR which will incorporate a combination of technologies inspired by Goodyear’s latest electric vehicle tyres and the new Eagle F1 SuperSport ultra-high performance range. The definitive specification of tyre will be unveiled in the Spring, ahead of the first Pure ETCR event.

A proven motorsport construction will be used, but with a treaded design that means Pure ETCR drivers can use the same tyres in both wet and dry conditions, reducing the number of tyres that need to be taken to each event. This aligns with Goodyear and Pure ETCR’s mission of working together to find sustainable solutions for the future of mobility and motorsport.

Mike Rytokoski, Vice-President and Chief Marketing Officer, Goodyear Europe, said: “Goodyear is a leader in electric vehicle tyre development. In Europe, half of our original equipment tyre developments are for EVs and hybrids.

“We bring a great deal of experience to ETCR in developing tyres for electric vehicles. High-performance road electric vehicles have very different needs to their petrol or diesel equivalents. They are heavier and have more torque, delivered immediately. Goodyear has developed tyres that can cope with this instant power delivery, delivering high grip and traction hand in hand with low rolling resistance to increase range and efficiency. Our partnership with Pure ETCR is much more than just supplying race tyres. Together, we will use racing to develop technology to thrill the next generation of high-performance driver.”

Pure ETCR will be promoted by Eurosport Events; the same organisation behind the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup, which Goodyear will also supply in 2020, and will feature high-performance production-based cars representing numerous manufacturers.

The radical event format, which is based around a number of short, action-packed, wheel-to-wheel heats building towards a Grand Final, requires tyres with instant performance. For Goodyear, the focus will be on ensuring the tyres have rapid warm-up times as well as the consistency to be raced hard throughout the event. This means the drivers can go flat out from the very beginning of a race.

François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, the Pure ETCR promoter, said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Goodyear to Pure ETCR as a founding partner of the series. Goodyear has a unique racing legacy and is all about performance and innovation; a perfect partner for our new modern electric racing flagship. This venture perfectly complements our partnership with Goodyear in WTCR, which we also expect to be highly successful. With a bespoke high-performance, all-weather design, fewer tyres need to be produced for Pure ETCR and this aligns perfectly with our sustainability commitments. We have no doubt that Goodyear will be a first-class partner on the technical and marketing fronts of Pure ETCR, a great platform to activate Goodyear #backtoracing.”

Goodyear’s return to motorsport

Since the announcement of Goodyear’s return to international motorsport last Summer, the tyre manufacturer has taken an FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 win with Jota Sport, and Jackie Chan DC Racing heads the title race. Goodyear’s comeback also includes becoming the official tyre supplier for FIA World Touring Car Cup, returning to German and UK motorsport (as the new sole tyre supplier for the British Touring Car Championship) and supplying tyres to leading European Le Mans Series teams.

Beyond just tire service, AndGo delivers full vehicle readiness, helping consumer fleets boost their performance. Through monitoring of service needs and quick and easy scheduling, AndGo activates Goodyear’s vast service network for convenient scheduling to reduce downtime.

Goodyear Chairman, CEO and President Richard J. Kramer said, “AndGo is another Goodyear innovation that will help enable mobility today and in the future. There is no one better positioned than Goodyear with our service network, intelligent tire solutions and predictive software to provide premium fleet readiness.”

Fleets engaging AndGo will benefit from continuous care through routine inspections and tire monitoring leveraging Goodyear’s intelligent tires. AndGo eliminates the guesswork in fleet management allowing fleets to focus on their end-customers, whether it is today’s drivers or passengers in emerging autonomous vehicles.

AndGo is currently available in select U.S. markets today and will expand to additional markets in mid-2020.

Through collaboration with fleets, AndGo will accelerate and create new standards for mobility, backed by the more than 120 years of Goodyear experience. For more information about AndGo, visit www.andgonow.com.

Goodyear Ventures will continue and expand Goodyear’s growing relationships in new mobility, with a focus on partnering and investing in startups with a shared vision of sustainable, safe and new mobility experiences that make life’s connections easier every day.

Goodyear’s Chairman, CEO and President Richard J. Kramer said, “Goodyear is a technology-driven mobility company that seeks out and partners with other mobility thought leaders ranging from small startups to proven business models. Goodyear Ventures will take this effort to the next level to engage and shape how people move in the future.” Goodyear Ventures will focus on eight themes shaping mobility:

• Electric and autonomous technologies
• Connected mobility solutions
• Next-generation public mobility
• Next-generation aviation mobility
• Future transportation infrastructure
• Future maintenance and operations
• Emerging technologies
• New tire materials

In addition to capital, Goodyear Ventures’ portfolio companies will have the opportunity to learn and grow with Goodyear through its extensive technology and innovation resources, vast vehicle service network, and global manufacturing and product development footprint. For more information on Goodyear Ventures, go to www.goodyearventures.com.

One pair of tires for Goodyear, one giant leap for the future of mobility: almost 50 years ago, Goodyear’s non-pneumatic XLTs were the first to ever leave a tire track on the moon. The 1950s and 60s were a period of intense innovation for Goodyear as it actively worked with pioneers to drive change and discovery. To this day, Goodyear has never seized reinventing both itself and mobility by creating and presenting state-of-the-art tires.

Since 1898 – back when its first products included carriage tires and horseshoe pads –Goodyear has been a company of technology driven firsts that partners with pioneers to shape the future of mobility. In 1969, that partner was NASA as Goodyear was chosen to create with non-pneumatic tires to equip a cart that astronauts could use to transport rock samples two years later.

The Modularized Equipment Transporter (MET), a two-wheeled unpowered cart used to carry equipment and samples collected by the astronauts on Apollo 14. The MET was about 75 kg when loaded, and was pulled at speeds up to 4 km/hr. Its wheels were made of smooth rubber and were supported by nitrogen filled inner-tubes. To make it easier to pull the cart through soft lunar soil and over rocks, the MET wheels were designed to be fairly compliant.

It’s a milestone that highlighted the extraordinary period of intense innovation for Goodyear. In 1965, its tires equipped Craig Breedlove’s jet-powered car, the Spirit of America, on its way to a new land speed record. In 1977, Goodyear changed the perception of consumers by offering them the choice to keep the same set of tires all year round with the iconic Tiempo: the world’s first all-season tire.

Goodyear’s innovations have been redefining tire performance, enriching people’s driving experience and pushing mobility boundaries for over 120 years. Goodyear proves it still is indispensable in today’s changing FACE of mobility – with a focus on Fleets, Autonomous, Connected and Electric vehicles – by annually showcasing futuristic concept tires like the Eagle 360, Oxygene and AERO at the Geneva International Motor Show.

“Goodyear’s C100 concept tire was specifically designed for the Citroën 19_19 Concept vehicle,” said Mike Rytokoski, Chief Marketing Officer, Consumer Europe at Goodyear. “It features technology to deliver maximum comfort and efficiency for electric mobility and the intelligent capabilities needed to support an autonomous vehicle.”

The C100 concept includes several innovative features:

• “Tall and Narrow” Structure: The C100 is nearly one meter in diameter, which compares to 60 cm for an average tire. This larger diameter would deliver efficiency, comfort and performance benefits, from lower rolling resistance – to increase the energy efficiency and range of the Citroën 19_19 Concept vehicle – to improved ride and wet performance.
• Custom Tread Design: The C100 features a custom, nature-inspired tread design that provides both comfort and handling benefits. With nearly 100 more blocks in its tread band than the average tire, the C100 would deliver a far quieter ride, a crucial consideration for ensuring comfort in electric vehicles. In addition, the C100’s tread groove compound is inspired by the attributes of a natural sponge. With its ability to stiffen in the dry or soften in the wet, this adaptable tread would enhance handling, grip and braking in both conditions.
• Intelligence and Connectivity: The C100 concept is designed to use advanced sensor technology. It would be able to sense road surface and weather conditions and communicate with the Citroën 19_19 Concept vehicle’s autonomous control system to improve driving performance. It would also feature advanced active wear technology to assess the state of the tire, allowing for proactive tire maintenance.

While the C100 is a purely conceptual design, some of its featured technologies, such as a “tall and narrow” structure, are already being supplied by Goodyear today, while others, such as intelligent tire capabilities, are being developed.

“Citroën is a mobility pioneer that throughout its history has developed iconic vehicles and groundbreaking new technologies. As they mark their 100th anniversary, Goodyear is honored to partner with Citroën in writing another chapter in the future of mobility,” Rytokoski concluded.

Developed by Jim Street and legendary custom car designer George Barris, the Golden Sahara II was a platform for testing new electronics systems. It featured a control system with an aircraft-inspired control lever for acceleration, braking and steering and an automatic braking system that used sensors to detect potential objects in the car’s path.

The car’s tires were developed by Goodyear using Neothane,
a translucent form of synthetic rubber, and contained internal lighting, which allowed them to glow.

This was part of broader research by Goodyear into the feasibility of tires that could help improve visibility in bad weather conditions or be wired to light up when a driver hit the brakes.

In its heyday, the Golden Sahara II toured the United States, featuring on television and in films. It then sat in a garage for the best part of 50 years until Klairmont Kollections purchased the vehicle from Mecum Auctions in May 2018. The Golden Sahara II was restored with the help of Speakeasy Customs and Classics in Chicago and was presented at Geneva on four, newly-built Goodyear translucent tires.

More news from Goodyear at GIMS 2019

• The Goodyear AERO – A Concept Tire for Autonomous, Flying Cars
• New Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport range 

About Goodyear

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 64,000 people and manufactures its products in 47 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate. or follow us on Twitter @Goodyearpress

About Klairmont Kollections

Klairmont Kollections is a privately-owned museum in Chicago. Recently open to the public, Klairmont Kollections boasts of a 100,000 square foot space with 300 eclectic cars on display. The vehicles range from turn of the century autos to one-of-a-kind historic vehicles like the Golden Sahara II. With an attached private event space that can seat up to 250 people, Klairmont is an ideal location for car enthusiasts, tour groups, and corporate events.

Website: www.klairmontkollections.com

Twitter: @klairmont_kars

Inquiries: info@klairmont kollections

The AERO concept includes a number of innovative features:

• Multimodal Design: The AERO is a multimodal tilt-rotor concept. It would serve as a drive train to transfer and absorb forces to and from the road in a traditional orientation and an aircraft propulsion system to provide lift in another orientation. With capable vehicles, the AERO would give future commuters the freedom to move seamlessly from the road to the sky.
   
• Non-Pneumatic Structure: The concept’s spokes would provide support to carry the weight of the vehicle and act as fan blades to provide lift when the tire is tilted. This unique airless tire uses a non-pneumatic structure that is flexible enough to dampen shocks when driving on the road, and strong enough to rotate at the high speeds necessary for the rotors to create vertical lift.
   
• Magnetic Propulsion: The AERO concept would use magnetic force to provide frictionless propulsion. This would enable the high rotating speeds required to drive the vehicle on the ground and, when the wheel is tilted, lift a vehicle into the air and propel it forward.
   
• Optical Sensing: The AERO would use light-based, fiber optic sensors to monitor road conditions, tire wear and the structural integrity of the tire itself.
   
• Artificial Intelligence: The concept would also feature an embedded A.I. processor that would combine information from the tire’s sensors with data from vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. The A.I. processor would analyze these streams of data to recommend a course of action - allowing a vehicle to adapt to a flying or driving mode – and identify and resolve potential tire-related issues before they happen.

While the AERO is a purely conceptual design, some of its featured technologies, such as a non-pneumatic structure and intelligent tire capabilities, are being developed by Goodyear today, while others might become the basis for new ideas and potentially new products in the future.

Goodyear’s concepts are meant to trigger a debate on the tires and transport technologies for a new mobility ecosystem.

More news from Goodyear at GIMS 2019

• Autonomous Concept Vehicle Golden Sahara II with Goodyear Tire
• New Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport range

About Goodyear

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 64,000 people and manufactures its products in 47 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate or follow us on Twitter @Goodyearpress.

Goodyear will conduct testing at the Mcity Test Facility with electric and autonomous vehicles, further developing its intelligent tires and the application of sensors, and extending its role in managing the connection of tires to the road, to vehicles and, ultimately, to consumers.

"To generate mobility solutions involving tires – and even beyond tires – we are actively working with key players to shape the future for autonomous vehicles and ride-sharing fleets, and the activity at Mcity will help get us there even faster," said Chris Helsel, Goodyear’s chief technology officer.

The Mcity Test Facility is a purpose-built proving ground for testing connected and autonomous vehicles and technologies in simulated urban and suburban driving environments. Goodyear is the only tire company participating in research at the test facility. It joins nearly 60 other companies working with Mcity, including automotive manufacturers and suppliers, chip and hardware makers, insurance providers, and companies engaged in such technologies as advanced modeling, big data acquisition, and intelligent transportation systems.

"We're pleased to welcome Goodyear to our growing team of forward-thinking partners, especially considering the company’s reputation as a longtime industry leader," said Huei Peng, director of Mcity and the Roger L. McCarthy Professor of Mechanical Engineering at U-M. "Even as we test and plan for future forms of mobility, we acknowledge the critical role of tires in evolving forms of transportation."

For Goodyear, Mcity represents an extension of the company’s global innovation network that includes innovation centers, development centers and tire proving grounds around the world. The network also includes open innovation partnerships with numerous customers, suppliers, governments and universities.

"Just as our presence in Silicon Valley has accelerated Goodyear’s fast-advancing work in future mobility, the collaboration with other stakeholders at Mcity will offer potential benefits to deliver solutions in tire electronics and information systems, enhancing overall vehicle performance, safety and the consumer experience," said Helsel.

The innovative facility, with about 16 acres of roads and traffic infrastructure, is recognized as one of the leading connected and automated test facilities in the world. It combines early-stage research; testing in the state-of-the-art, real-world environment of the Mcity Test Facility; and on-road vehicle deployments to further prove new technologies.

Geneva, March 6th, 2018 – Goodyear offered a sneak peek during the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show of its EfficientGrip Performance with Electric Drive Technology, a prototype tire for the growing electric vehicle market that will be on the road by 2019 in Europe.

Goodyear testing reveals that traditional tires can wear out up to 30% faster on electric vehicles due to the powerful, instant torque from electric motors and the additional vehicle weight from heavy battery packs.

“The combination of increasing regulations to reduce emissions, the desire to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and rapid gains in battery technology is creating an ideal environment for electric vehicles,” said Chris Delaney, President of Goodyear Europe, Middle East and Africa. “We are working with automakers to introduce our Electric Drive Technology next year designed to address the unique performance requirements of this growing vehicle segment.”

In addition to tire durability requirements, automakers are pressing for enhanced rolling resistance on electric vehicles. Increasing range is a high priority for consumers due to an underdeveloped electric recharging infrastructure in most countries. Quiet and comfort from tires is another consideration as, at low speeds, electric vehicles generate as little as half the amount of noise as traditional vehicles.

Electric Drive Technology

To address these challenges, the EfficientGrip Performance prototype with Electric Drive Technology offers these performance solutions:

• Extended Mileage from Innovative Tread Design: The tread’s thinner sipes (small channels) allow for a larger rubber contact patch on the road surface than traditional radial grooves. With more rubber on the road, the tire can better cope with high levels of torque while maintaining high performance in wet conditions. The tread design also prevents sound waves from entering its grooves, reducing interior and exterior tire noise.
   
• High-Load-Carrying Construction: The tire cavity shape has been optimized to support the additional vehicle weight from batteries while maintaining an optimal tread footprint for high performance.
   
• Extended Driving Range: The material properties of the tread compound have been tuned for ultra-low rolling resistance to extend the vehicle range while coping with high levels of torque. In addition, the sidewall has been designed to reduce aerodynamic drag and the profile yields less rotating mass, resulting in reduced energy consumption.

“As a company with a 120-year heritage of delivering innovative products that help change the world of transport, the EfficientGrip Performance prototype with Electric Drive Technology is proof that Goodyear continues to lead on this path of future mobility,” Delaney said.

About Goodyear

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 64,000 people and manufactures its products in 48 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to https://www.goodyear.eu.      

Geneva, March 6th, 2018 – At the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show, Goodyear showcased the latest advances on its intelligent tire prototype, a complete tire information system that includes a tire, sensors and cloud-based algorithms that all work together to communicate in real-time with fleet operators via a mobile app.

 “As shared mobility continues to grow in popularity, we are seeing applications where kilometers driven per vehicle will increase substantially in the years ahead,” said Chris Delaney, President of Goodyear Europe, Middle East and Africa. “For shared fleet operators, proactively managing tire service issues is critical to both the customer experience and the business model.”

The Goodyear intelligent tire prototype allows for continuous connectivity and real-time data sharing, enabling optimal tire usage for safer and more cost-efficient mobility and maximized uptime.

The sensors in Goodyear’s intelligent tire, together with the vehicle and third-party information, provide real-time data to Goodyear’s proprietary algorithms. Thanks to these algorithms, information on tire ID and status - including wear, temperature and pressure - is continuously updated and shared with fleet operators.

“Tire performance and wear information provide a real-time signal for when a tire needs service to extend its life, fuel economy and performance attributes,” Delaney continued. “This kind of proactive maintenance allows fleet operators to precisely identify and resolve tire-related and potential service issues before they happen.”

Shared mobility is continuing to grow based on desires for reduced cost and increased convenience for consumers. In 2015, shared kilometers accounted for 4% of global kilometers traveled. This number is projected to exceed 25% by 2030.[1]

“As the face of mobility continues to evolve, so will the needs of consumers and fleet operators,” said Delaney. “Goodyear is anticipating the products, services and experiences that will deliver the mobility that consumers and fleet operators need.”

About Goodyear

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 64,000 people and manufactures its products in 48 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to https://www.goodyear.eu.   

[1] https://www.morganstanley.com/ideas/car-of-future-is-autonomous-electric-shared-mobility

Brussels, Belgium - November 9, 2017 – The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced today that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Ventech Systems GmbH, a leader in automated tire inspection technology, from Grenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH to support its fleet services in Europe and other geographies of the world.

Ventech Systems provides a fully-automated tire inspection system that quickly and easily checks tire pressure, tread depth and vehicle weight for buses, trucks, cars and other vehicles.

The company, based in Dorsten, Germany, will be integrated into the Goodyear Proactive Solutions business in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, where Goodyear’s Proactive Solutions program is currently available.

Andre Weisz, managing director, Goodyear Proactive Solutions, has been named chief executive officer of Ventech Systems. Andreas Pietsch, Ventech Systems chief operating officer, will remain in that position.

Last year, Goodyear launched Goodyear Proactive Solutions to provide a full suite of operations management solutions supporting fleet owners to improve safety, decrease fuel use, reduce their carbon footprint and support the digital transformation of their fleet.

The acquisition strengthens Goodyear’s one stop value proposition towards fleets, including premium tires, advanced technology and mobile fleet solutions as well as a complete service package to allow them to optimize their total cost of ownership and efficiency.

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 65,000 people and manufactures its products in 48 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate​​. GT-FN

Importance of the right tires

Goodyear invests a huge amount of time and effort in developing the optimal OE tires for new vehicles, which are designed specifically for brand, model and type. The attention dedicated to OE development yields the right fit for every car, based on its specific requirements, optimizing driving experience, safety and performance. Needless to say, when tires have run their course, replacing them with original equipment will maintain the car’s optimal performance.

The process

Innovation is the engine that drives OE equipment. Every vehicle is different, and the market continuously evolves, so every new OE tire requires Goodyear to rethink its blueprints and optimize its results. OE tire development can take between 2 and 3 years, from the first drawing to the final production. Every new vehicle needs OE tires and car manufacturers send their requirements - such as sharp handling, low noise or high-speed stability - to several tire companies. A team of engineers then create a first proposal. When the car maker has selected the OE tire that it feels will be the best fit for its vehicle, the development process takes off.

Analysis & simulation

Every OE process starts with a thorough research and development phase. Designers and automotive engineers dedicate up to six months to create the optimal synergy between vehicle and tire, continuously working in close collaboration with car manufacturers. This analysis phase is crucial to understand how an OE tire can complement the vehicle’s specific requirements.

Design & development

Once the tire design team and the automotive engineers have a detailed view of what the vehicle manufacturer wants and needs, Goodyear starts analyzing data and designing the OE tire. It takes somewhere between 18 and 24 months to combine specific requirements and tailor-made innovation into the optimal tire. During this phase, the team must select from more than 200 performance criteria that make the optimal OE tire. Of course, choices have to be made: every tire is a balancing act between performance characteristics that often contradict, such as:

 - Handling

 Addresses the way a tire reacts to steering, cornering and/or accelerating, contributing to high-performance driving, driver safety and the driving experience.

 - Braking

 Braking in both dry and wet conditions are crucial factors in a tire’s performance as it relates to driver safety.

 - Rolling resistance

 The force resisting the motion when a tire rolls on a surface. This is a crucial element for consumers as less friction means higher fuel efficiency.

 - Comfort

 The capability to cope with impacts, harshness and potential flat spots contributes to a comfortable and worry-free drive.

 - Noise

 Tires are one of the contributing factors to both a vehicle’s cabin noise (i.e. what the driver hears) as well as its pass-by noise (i.e. the external sound of a moving  vehicle).

 - Tread wear

 The rate at which tires wear down influence their durability, and the tire should wear evenly along its entire surface.

Testing

Before OE tires can be manufactured, they have to go through a rigorous testing phase. Engineers and test drivers put the prototypes to extensive tests. Each new tire is benchmarked against more than 50 performance criteria at Goodyear’s testing facilities.

The end product will be the result of up to 200 test drives on a variety of terrains, environments and test tracks, along with up to 400 tests in laboratories, adding up to a whopping 300,000 test kilometers in the most diverse weather conditions.

Manufacturing

Once the tire has passed all the tests and has been approved by the vehicle manufacturer, the industrialization phase can finally start. Due to the tire being tailor-made for each vehicle model, this last stage still takes 2 to 6 months. What rolls off the production line is the painstaking result of years of meticulous design, thorough testing and made-to-order production – all with the ultimate goal of delivering an optimal driving experience, contributing to safety and performance.

Launch

In a final phase, the market-ready tires are fitted onto the vehicles they were designed for, and introduced to customers. When it is time for replacement, drivers can ask dealers to re-fit their precious vehicles with the OE tires that were specifically designed for them. Generally, OE tires can come in summer, winter and all-season editions. Some OE tires are marked by the car manufacturer in order to be easily recognized by consumers, providing the right choice each time.

Goodyear always strives to combine its rich heritage with a position firmly at the forefront of technological advancement. In the future, the company will focus on:

- Improving sustainability by achieving Ultra Low Rolling Resistance (ULRR) and going towards the use of sustainable manufacturing processes and materials;
- Enhancing handling for Ultra (Ultra) High Performance vehicles (UHP and UUHP);
- Improving comfort by lowering vibrations, harshness and interior/exterior noise.

AKRON, Ohio, September 20, 2017 – The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced today that it has agreed to acquire Ventech Systems GmbH, a leader in automated tire inspection technology, from Grenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH.

Ventech Systems (https://ventech.de/en), based in Dorsten, Germany, delivers innovative measuring devices for the vehicle industry. The company was founded in 2006. It provides a fully-automated tire inspection system that quickly and easily checks tire pressure, tread depth and vehicle weight for buses, trucks, cars and other vehicles.

“Over the past three years, our Goodyear Proactive Solutions business has collaborated with Ventech Systems to integrate its data gathering and analysis capabilities into our fleet management solution,” said Christopher Helsel, Goodyear vice president and chief technology officer. “Feedback from our fleet customers has been excellent, and we view this as an important opportunity to enhance our service and value proposition for customers.”

“Goodyear and Ventech Systems are both companies founded and driven by innovation,” said Andreas Pietsch, Ventech Systems chief operating officer and business manager. “Goodyear’s strong market presence enables additional worldwide growth opportunities for Ventech Systems. We are excited to support Goodyear’s fleet customers with our unique technology in terms of process optimization, business efficiency and road safety.”

Truck tire care and maintenance is one of the largest contributors to commercial fleet uptime and total cost of operations. Last year, Goodyear launched Goodyear Proactive Solutions in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region to provide a full suite of demonstrated Vehicle-To-Fleet operations management solutions supporting fleet owners to improve vehicle and fleet safety, decrease fuel use, reduce their carbon footprint and support the digital transformation of their fleet.

The acquisition of Ventech Systems will further expand Goodyear Proactive Solutions’ commercial offerings with an efficient, user-friendly closed loop service enabling fleet operators to measure tire pressure, tread depth and vehicle weight on all their vehicles each time they enter or exit their depot.

In addition to its Goodyear Proactive Solutions mobile tire/fleet management offerings, Goodyear is also working with automakers to provide tire information to vehicle control systems to enhance safety and performance. Earlier this month it announced that it is equipping Tesloop, a city-to-city mobility service that exclusively uses Tesla electric vehicles, with wireless sensors in its tires to improve overall tire management and maximize uptime for its growing fleet.

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter. The business and technology will be integrated into the company’s Goodyear Proactive Solutions business.

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 65,000 people and manufactures its products in 47 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate​​. GT-FN

COLMAR-BERG, Luxembourg – September 12, 2017 – Advancing its connected-business model, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company today announced plans to create a new facility in Luxembourg that utilizes an innovative production process to meet growing customer and consumer demand for premium tires.

Named Mercury, the proprietary process features highly-automated, interconnected workstations, using additive manufacturing technologies to efficiently produce premium tires in small- batch quantities on-demand for replacement and original equipment customers.

Goodyear Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Richard J. Kramer announced Mercury and the company's plans at the groundbreaking event for the facility here.

"Mercury addresses the increasing complexity in the tire industry as the number of vehicle models and options available to consumers continues to proliferate," said Kramer. "It gives us the capability to increase our speed and flexibility to meet the growing demand for small volumes of high- margin, premium Goodyear tires and to deliver them to customers on demand, faster than ever."

"Mercury will advance our connected business model, which aligns all of our assets – from the production floor to consumers who choose Goodyear online and at retail," he added. "It will complement our existing high-volume facilities and give us a true competitive advantage."

The new facility, set to open in 2019, is in close proximity to Goodyear's Luxembourg innovation center and tire proving grounds. The company is investing $77 million in the facility, which will produce approximately 500,000 tires annually and create approximately 70 new, full-time positions.

The technology used in the Mercury production process was developed and tested over the past five years at Goodyear's innovation and development centers. The name Mercury is a reference to the mythical god of trade and travel, which inspired the creation of Goodyear's winged foot logo by company founder Frank A. Seiberling.

• Intelligent tire integrates with connected car fleet to deliver data-driven diagnostics
• Focus on data gathering and analytics to serve shared mobility business models
• Effort builds on successful launch of Goodyear Proactive Solutions for commercial fleets

Goodyear announced that it is equipping Tesloop, a city-to-city mobility service that exclusively uses Tesla electric vehicles, with wireless sensors in its tires to improve overall tire management and maximize uptime for its growing fleet.

“We want to build the future, not just observe or read about it,” said Chris Helsel, Goodyear’s chief technology officer. “As the new mobility ecosystem continues to take shape, we are taking steps to match the pace of technical change in the transportation industry and develop tire innovations that meet the intelligence of the vehicles riding on them.”

The wireless sensors continuously measure and record tire temperature and pressure, which is paired with other vehicle data and connected to Goodyear’s cloud-based proprietary algorithms to enhance overall fleet operations and predict when the tires need service or replacement.

As part of the program with Tesloop, Goodyear is also extending its mobile fleet solutions to passenger vehicles, providing tire maintenance and repair while Tesloop vehicles are at charging stations, during regularly planned downtime.

“When you are operating cars nearly 24/7/365, minimizing tire incidents is critical to the customer experience and the business model,” said Rahul Sonnad, Tesloop’s CEO. “The possibilities for data-driven tire diagnostics are remarkable and promise to help a business like Tesloop operate more efficiently and make our vehicles the safest on the road.”

Tesloop operates a fleet of Teslas that average up to 17,000 miles per vehicle, per month. Its highest-mileage vehicle, a Tesla Model S in operation since 2015, recently exceeded 300,000 service miles. Goodyear has been working with Tesloop since January 2017 to study the effect of autonomous technologies on tires.

Goodyear’s effort with Tesloop builds on its successful commercialization of Goodyear Proactive Solutions for truck fleets, using advanced telematics and predictive analytics technology to allow fleet operators to optimize fuel efficiency and precisely identify and resolve tire-related issues before they happen.

In addition to its fleet management offerings, Goodyear is also working with automakers to provide tire information to vehicle control systems to enhance safety and performance.

Helsel added, “Goodyear is breaking new ground with the combination of fleet management expertise, intelligent products, and a vast service network to deliver complete solutions for the future of mobility.” 

The first commercial use of a new soybean oil-based rubber compound is helping Goodyear enhance tire performance in dry, wet and winter conditions. A Goodyear team of scientists and engineers created a tread compound, or formulation, using soybean oil, which is naturally derived, cost-effective, carbon-neutral and renewable.

“Goodyear’s legacy of innovation drives us to continue to apply new technology solutions, developing superior performing tires that meet consumer demands,” said Eric Mizner, Goodyear’s director of global materials science.

By employing soybean oil in tires, Goodyear found a new way to help keep the rubber compound pliable in changing temperatures, a key performance achievement in maintaining and enhancing the vehicle’s grip on the road surface.

Goodyear’s tests have shown rubber made with soybean oil mixes more easily in the silica-reinforced compounds used in manufacturing certain tires. This also improves manufacturing efficiency and reduces energy consumption.

Goodyear cooperated on the project with the USB, a group of farmer-directors who oversee the investments of a checkoff program on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. The USB provided some funding support for the development of Goodyear’s soybean oil application in tires.

The commercialization of soybean oil in tires as the latest technology breakthrough by Goodyear builds on the company’s other recent innovations, such as the use of silica derived from rice husk ash, another component Goodyear is using in certain consumer tires, along with current and past uses of components such as carbon fiber, DuPontÔ Kevlar®, volcanic sand and more.

Speaking at the inauguration, Jean Claude Kihn, Goodyear’s President for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said “Goodyear’s strategy is founded on producing high-quality, innovative products as the shift to more complex, high-value added tires continues to accelerate. Our investment in this state of the art facility will enable us to meet the exacting demands of our customers and consumers. Additionally, it further strengthens our presence in and commitment to Luxembourg.”

The new laboratory is equipped to perform three key testing activities. The lab will conduct tire development performance measurements, where all new tire developments need to successfully pass certain performance criteria. The new lab will also conduct regulatory and homologation tests to measure tire compliance with a large variety of global and international standards, as well as monitor production performance and quality control.

In addition to Kihn and other Goodyear leaders, the laboratory was inaugurated by Gast Jacobs, mayor of Colmar-Berg.

Speaking at the event, Mayor Jacobs said: “Goodyear has a long history of innovation, research and development in Luxembourg. We welcome its continuous support with diversifying the economy in Luxembourg and here in Colmar-Berg especially.”

Carlos Cipollitti, Goodyear’s vice president, Product Development EMEA and general director of the Goodyear Innovation Center in Luxembourg, added, “The innovative technology and machinery in the new laboratory strengthens our ability to test tires in our lab, which means that we do not have to perform as much testing on the road, speeding development time and getting innovative new tires to customers faster than ever.”  

Geneva, March 8th - Goodyear presents its latest concept tire, Goodyear CityCube, designed for the Toyota i-TRIL concept car unveiled at the 2017 Geneva International Motor Show.

Thanks to advanced sensor technology and a unique tread design, the CityCube can identify a variety of road conditions and transmit this data to the vehicle to support the advanced collision prevention systems.

The front wheels on the Toyota i-TRIL tilt, which inspired Goodyear’s designers to think about motorcycle tire design. The result is a unique contour shape and mixed fitment, a tall and narrow tire at the front and a wider asymmetric design for the rear.

The front tilting wheels fit Tall and Narrow tires with reverse direction, inspired by the symmetric design of motorcycle tires.

This helps enhance safe driving and removes water for the larger rear tire, providing better grip.

The rear tires have an asymmetric design with a more solid inside part for more cornering stability.

Goodyear has also introduced a new Hologram Texture to the design, with state of the art gradient sidewall colours which offer a unique, premium and appealing appearance.

Tailored to meet Toyota’s exacting requirements, CityCube is designed to be lightweight with low rolling resistance, which is an important feature for future electric vehicle tires. The CityCube also has a reduced groove volume, providing higher mileage and reduces noise levels which can add to a better city life.

David Anckaert, General Director OE Product Development EMEA at Goodyear, commented: “We are delighted to present this innovative concept tire for the Toyota i-TRIL concept car. Once again, Goodyear confirms its expertise in the development of tailor-made solutions for car manufacturers. We are committed to designing solutions to enable new mobility trends, such as autonomous vehicles and smart cities.

Geneva, March 7th - Goodyear has revealed its long-term vision for future smart, connected tires. In an evolving mobility ecosystem defined by the transition to driverless vehicles and shared mobility in urban centers, Goodyear aims to revolutionize the interaction between tires, vehicles and their surroundings. Goodyear unveiled the Eagle 360 Urban, its latest concept tire, at the Geneva International Motor Show. This 3-D printed sphere is the first concept tire to be powered by Artificial Intelligence and able to sense, decide, transform and interact.

“A revolution will take place at the intersection of autonomy, mobility and connectivity. As this unfolds, tire technology will be even more important than it is today. To safely navigate their surroundings, the autonomous vehicles of the future will need to learn to cope with the millions of possible unknowns we face in every day driving scenarios. To do so they will need access to data and the ability to learn and adapt,” said Jean-Claude Kihn, president of Goodyear Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Last year, with the Eagle 360 concept tire, Goodyear presented a unique, multi-directional sphere to match the demands of autonomous driving through increased levels of comfort, safety and maneuverability. The positive feedback received encouraged the manufacturer to take this concept even further.

This year, with the Eagle 360 Urban, Goodyear is pushing the boundaries again, aiming to illustrate a vision of how the future could look. Powered by Artificial Intelligence, Goodyear is giving the concept tire a ‘brain’. Combined with a bionic skin and morphing tread, the Eagle 360 Urban has the ability to put knowledge into practice. The tire will become part of the vehicle’s ‘nervous system’ and the connected world of the Internet of Things. That way, it is ready to rapidly adapt to changing circumstances, as well as the evolving needs of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) for fleets and their users. 

Goodyear’s Eagle 360 Urban features bionic skin with a sensor network that allows the concept tire to check on its own status and gather information on its environment, including the road surface. Via connectivity with other vehicles as well as infrastructure, traffic and mobility management systems, the Eagle 360 Urban also captures information on its surroundings in real-time.

By combining these sources of information and processing them instantaneously using neural networks trained with deep learning algorithms, the Eagle 360 Urban decides the most appropriate course of action. And, powered by Artificial Intelligence, the Eagle 360 Urban learns from previous actions how to optimize future responses.

Made of super-elastic polymer, the tire’s bionic skin has a flexibility similar to that of human skin, allowing it to expand and contract. This outer layer covers a foam-like material that is strong enough to remain flexible despite the weight of a vehicle. Thanks to this flexibility, actuator elements beneath the tire’s surface, which are components that change shape with an electrical input, working like human muscles, can re-shape the individual sections of the tire’s tread design, adding ‘dimples’ for wet conditions or smoothing the tread for dry conditions. A new tread with a safer contact patch is thus deployed.

Using this morphing tread, the Eagle 360 Urban transforms and adapts to changing road and weather conditions.  The concept tire can then interact to share the information it has captured, the related action and its success with other vehicles and all of the elements making up the Internet of Things.

When the tire’s bionic skin is damaged, the sensors in the tread can locate the puncture. The tire then rotates to create a different contact patch. This reduces pressure on the puncture and allows the self-healing process to start. The self-healing works thanks to materials which are specifically designed to be able to flow towards the puncture. They react physically and chemically with each other to form new molecular bonds, closing the puncture.

This new generation of tires will create added value for OEM partners and the evolving providers of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) by maximizing uptime and providing proactive maintenance. For the everyday commuter they will offer an improved experience by adding a new dimension to the safety performance and learning capabilities of autonomous driving.

This year Goodyear invited students from French design school ISD RUBIKA​ to envision and develop a concept vehicle tailor-made for the Eagle 360 Urban concept tire. Working closely together with Goodyear’s designers, the students created Vision UMOD, a vehicle for future cities and adapted to the needs of future mobility.[1]

KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS

1. The Artificial Intelligence unit serves as the ‘brain’ of the tire and enables the tire to:

• Continuously sense the road condition and the surrounding environment in real-time and check on its own status in real-time.
• Process the information it captures using neural networks trained with deep learning algorithms to decide what to do and learn for the future.
• Transform using its own morphing tread and tire/vehicle interface.
• Interact with other vehicles and all of the elements making up the Internet of Things to share the information it has captured and lessons learned.

2. The bionic skin’s high-sensory capacity tread, with its sensor network, captures information on road and weather conditions and transmits this input to:

• the tire to optimize the morphing of the tread.
• the vehicle’s ‘nervous system’ to improve the car’s braking, handling and efficiency.
• all of the elements making up the Internet of Things to inform other tires and vehicles expected to take the same road.

3. The intelligent morphing tread prepares the vehicle for the unexpected by proactively providing safety under all conditions. Depending on the road and weather conditions, the most appropriate tread pattern appears autonomously with the help of the bionic skin of the tire. 

4.The bionic skin allows self-healing repair. And, in combination with the Artificial Intelligence unit, it measures current and predicts future tire wear to allow automated tire management, enabling predictive and proactive maintenance. This maximizes uptime and safety, offering an improved mobility user experience at all times for Mobility as a Service (MaaS) providers.

5. The spherical shape moves in all directions and contributes to comfort, safety and maneuverability to match the demands of autonomous mobility and mobility as a service. The shape also copes with space limitations in smart cities (smaller parking spaces, platoon driving, maneuvering, easy to replace...).

Connect & Download

Visit our stand at Geneva International Motor Show: Stand 2056, Hall 2 or visit our EMEA newsroom​

Goodyear Eagle 360 Urban and RUBIKA Vision UMOD video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAdw09M-F-g​

[1] Created by: Laurent Cariou, Mathis Cosson, Hugo Glorennec & Alexandre Moulin