Market and product

Compiled by Bao Hien

The tire industry is undergoing a wave of technological innovation, with new approaches aimed at improving performance, optimizing manufacturing processes and reducing environmental impact. Among the most notable developments are 3D printing, digital twin systems and the use of recycled materials derived from plastic waste.

Fully 3D-Printed Airless Tires

One of the most notable areas of development is the production of airless tires using 3D printing technology, incorporating recycled and renewable materials.
In concept designs, tread structures are often inspired by forms found in nature to improve water drainage and enhance road grip. 3D printing makes it possible to create complex lattice structures that would be difficult to produce using conventional molding techniques.

Importantly, the technology could eventually enable tread patterns to be customized according to specific operating conditions or driving styles. In the long term, more precise control over tire geometry could also contribute to more even wear and longer service life.

However, this technology remains largely at the research and concept stage and has not yet been widely commercialized. Some projects have used specialized structural design and optimization software, such as nTop, to calculate the geometry of lattice structures before they are 3D-printed.

Digital Twins Enable Tire Monitoring Without Additional Sensors

Another emerging technology attracting attention is the development of digital twins for tires, in which tire condition is monitored and predicted primarily through software without the need to install additional physical sensors in the tires.

Rather than collecting data directly from sensors mounted on the tires, the system analyzes high-frequency signals already available from the vehicle, such as braking forces, vehicle load and steering forces. Based on these data, the software can infer the tire's actual condition in real time.

This approach offers potential advantages over conventional monitoring methods, which mainly rely on pressure sensors or estimates based on the distance traveled. Such methods may not fully capture dynamic factors such as braking intensity, vehicle load or forces acting on the tires when cornering.

If further developed, digital twin technology could help predict maximum tire grip, identify the risk of hydroplaning on wet roads, support driver-assistance systems and detect vehicle overloading.

Because it does not require additional hardware on the tire, the solution could, in principle, be developed for different types of tires and is well aligned with the growing trend toward software-defined vehicles.

Turning Plastic Waste into Tire Materials

Alongside innovations in design and software, the tire industry is also stepping up research into materials, with a focus on reducing the use of virgin fossil-based resources.

One notable approach is the use of recycled PET bottles as raw material for tires. Depending on tire size, a single tire can incorporate material equivalent to approximately nine to 15 recycled plastic bottles.

Some commercial products have already achieved recycled and renewable material content of up to 65%, depending on tire size and type. This figure may include renewable materials, directly recycled materials, as well as certified materials sourced through the mass-balance approach from biological or circular feedstocks.

In practice, some passenger-car tires can now incorporate around 15-20% recycled or renewable materials. Many manufacturers are also setting targets to progressively increase the share of sustainable materials, with the long-term goal of using 100% sustainable materials in their products over the coming decades.

This trend should be distinguished from technologies designed to reduce rolling resistance. Lower rolling resistance primarily aims to improve fuel efficiency or extend the driving range of electric vehicles, whereas the use of recycled materials focuses on reducing reliance on virgin raw materials and lowering the environmental impact over the product life cycle. The two objectives can be pursued simultaneously, but they are technically distinct.

Three Directions, Three Challenges for the Tire Industry

These three trends demonstrate how the tire industry is approaching technological innovation from different perspectives.

3D printing focuses on transforming tire design and manufacturing, making it possible to create highly complex and customizable structures. Digital twins bring software and data into tire monitoring and predictive analysis, potentially eliminating the need for additional hardware. Meanwhile, recycled materials aim to reduce dependence on virgin petrochemical feedstocks and improve the sustainability of tire products.

Nevertheless, not all of these technologies are ready for widespread adoption. Many remain at the concept, testing or early commercialization stage and are currently available only in selected product lines. Even so, they represent promising technological pathways that could help shape the tire industry in the years ahead, as performance, digitalization and sustainability become increasingly important market priorities.

Reference
1. Automotive World, "Hankook to premiere concept tyres at The Tire Cologne."
2. Vision Mobility, "The Tire Cologne 2026: whoever wants to understand the future of the tire industry must keep Hankook in view!"
3. Automotive World, "Michelin debuts universal tyre digital twin for SDVs."
4. Sonatus, thông cáo báo chí "Michelin and Sonatus Showcase Ready-to-Deploy Embedded Tire Digital Twin Solutions."
5. Continental, thông cáo báo chí "Fuel-saving Champion for Long-distance Transport: Conti EcoPlus."
6. Continental Tires, trang sản phẩm "Reinventing the wheel with sustainability" (ContiRe.Tex, UltraContact NXT).