Market and product

Compiled by Bao Hien

Tire development is increasingly focused on reducing reliance on fossil-based materials, limiting environmental impacts and integrating data to improve road safety. However, many emerging technologies remain at the demonstration stage, while performance figures are largely based on data released by the developers themselves.

On March 3, Tire Technology International announced the winners of its 2026 Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence in Hannover, Germany. The recognized technologies illustrate how the tire industry is seeking to transform everything from material composition and manufacturing processes to the ability of tires to interact with vehicle safety systems.

The awards were decided by a panel of experts and do not constitute independent performance testing. Several of the technologies discussed below still lack sufficient data to assess their real-world effectiveness.

Searching for a Replacement for a Chemical That Can Harm Fish

6PPD is an anti-degradant used in most tires to protect rubber against deterioration. However, it can transform into 6PPD-quinone, a compound that is acutely toxic to coho salmon.

According to European Rubber Journal, Flexsys announced on August 27 that it had narrowed its search for potential alternatives to two molecules. Both are outside the PPD family and do not form quinones during use.

The candidates have met the developer's internal laboratory testing criteria, but no specific data have been released. Their effects on aquatic organisms are being evaluated in cooperation with a US geological agency, with results not yet publicly available. Neither a commercialization timeline nor their regulatory approval status has been established.

The search for a 6PPD replacement is a significant research direction, but the two candidates have so far passed only preliminary evaluation stages. The description of the technology as the first viable solution in the awards report does not mean it has been certified as safe by a regulatory authority.

Truck Tire Made with 70% Recycled and Renewable Materials

A commercial tire designed for urban waste collection vehicles has been introduced with a reported 70% recycled and renewable material content. Its composition includes circular synthetic rubber, circular carbon black and natural rubber.

According to a jury member, it could be among the first truck tires to achieve such a high proportion.

However, the 70% figure is calculated using a mass-balance approach and involves materials certified under ISCC PLUS. This method allows manufacturers to account for recycled or renewable feedstocks within the production system, but it does not guarantee that the corresponding proportion of such materials is physically present in every individual tire.

The developer has not released performance data. The tire is currently available on a made-to-order basis.

Producing Tire Feedstocks from Bioethanol

The BioButterfly project has developed a process for producing butadiene from bioethanol, replacing conventional fossil-based feedstocks. The approach aims to reduce the tire industry's dependence on petroleum-derived raw materials in synthetic rubber production.

According to European Rubber Journal, the demonstration plant near Bordeaux, France, has an annual capacity of 20–30 tonnes. The project has attracted more than €80 million in investment following over a decade of research.

Butadiene is an important tire industry feedstock, accounting for around 40% of global butadiene consumption. Nevertheless, available sources do not specify the process's CO₂ emission reductions or when the technology might be deployed at industrial scale.

Reinforcing Fibers with a Lower Carbon Footprint

Para-aramid fibers, high-strength materials used to reinforce tires, are becoming available in additional circular variants. Two new options include fibers re-spun from pre-consumer aramid waste and fibers made using bio-based feedstocks under a mass-balance approach.

According to the developer, CO₂ emissions can be reduced by up to 7% compared with virgin fibers and up to 25% compared with the industry average, based on the GaBi database.

These are maximum reported reductions, not guaranteed results under all manufacturing conditions. Mechanical strength data have not been disclosed; the company has stated only that the materials perform comparably to standard fibers.

Tires Become a Data Source for Braking Systems

Another development involves using tire data to support automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems.

In a project conducted in cooperation with a Dutch applied research institute, developers combined sensors with cloud-based algorithms to estimate conditions at the tire-road contact patch. The information is fed into the control system to predict braking distances on dry, wet or slippery surfaces.

According to European Rubber Journal on January 9, 2025, the technology showed potential to mitigate collisions at speeds of up to 80 km/h. However, the report provides no figures for reductions in braking distance or details of the testing methodology.

As a result, the potential safety benefits have yet to be supported by quantitative data demonstrating real-world improvements.

Reducing Water Consumption in Tire Manufacturing

In manufacturing, a modular mixing line was recognized for its design, which allows individual units to be installed separately to support production of a new generation of tires.

One manufacturer also reported that water intake per tonne of product fell by more than 10% across all its plants between 2020 and 2025. However, information about the production line and the water savings comes from the awards report and statements by the company. Independent verification has not been identified.

Passenger Car Tires Designed to Improve Energy Efficiency

A passenger car tire has been reported to achieve an A rating in all three categories of the EU tire label—rolling resistance, wet grip and external rolling noise—for 80% of its available sizes. The manufacturer also claims that the tire offers a longer service life.

According to the company's product information, the design uses silica-containing compounds, a specialized carcass and thin belt layers to reduce rolling resistance. These are among the approaches used to lower the resistance a tire encounters as it moves.

The manufacturer has also reported braking distances up to 8% shorter, based on tests commissioned by the company involving one tire size and several vehicle models. No independent data have confirmed this improvement across a wider range of operating conditions.

The awards report mentions the potential for reduced particle emissions, but the manufacturer's product page makes no specific commitment regarding the amount of particles released.

Airless Wheels Designed for Lunar Exploration

In the concept category, an airless wheel designed for vehicles traveling across the Moon's terrain received an award. The project is associated with a team participating in NASA's Artemis program.

The developer says the wheel is designed to operate across a temperature range of −240°C to +100°C, resist punctures and provide a design life of up to 10 years of travel.

However, the available information includes no test data, detailed description of the wheel's structure or confirmation that NASA has selected the proposal. Its practical applicability therefore remains to be demonstrated.

Materials Research Sheds Light on Rubber Behavior

The young scientist award recognized research into how carbon black activators, also known as coupling agents, affect the dynamic viscoelastic properties of rubber.

The researchers used oscillatory rheometry and dynamic thermomechanical analysis on model tire tread compounds before and after vulcanization.

The findings indicate that, before vulcanization, the degree of carbon black dispersion plays a decisive role in determining material properties. After vulcanization at 160°C for 20 minutes, sulfur-containing activators increased the Payne effect. The researchers suggested that this could result from carbon black agglomeration during vulcanization.

However, only part of the research abstract was accessible, leaving insufficient information to assess the full set of conclusions.

Emerging Technologies Still Need Further Validation

The recognized technologies show that innovation in the tire industry is extending beyond durability and performance to include circular materials, reduced environmental impacts and integration with vehicle safety systems.

Nevertheless, measured results must be distinguished from development targets. Recycled content calculated through mass-balance accounting does not necessarily reflect the proportion of recycled material physically present in each product. Claims involving lower emissions, greater durability or improved braking performance must also be assessed in light of the testing methods and comparative data used.

For technologies such as 6PPD alternatives, braking assistance systems and lunar wheels, the available information is not yet sufficient to establish commercialization timelines or real-world effectiveness. Innovation awards highlight promising directions for the industry, but they do not replace independent testing and validation.