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

Continental and Renault Group used state-of-the-art virtual development and testing methods in their joint work. A key element was Continental’s driver-in-the-loop simulator, which enables tire characteristics to be evaluated and optimized under realistic driving conditions at an early stage of development. Renault Group’s Roads driving simulator was also integrated into the process, digitally replicating real-world driving conditions and enabling reproducible testing in a virtual environment.

By combining the capabilities of both systems, test scenarios could be seamlessly replicated and development processes accelerated. The use of such methods improves development efficiency and reduces the need for physical test tires.

Dr Christian Strübel, a Continental expert on the rolling resistance of car tires, said, “Together with Renault Group, we are improving the efficiency of its new electric vehicles. Our tailor-made tires have very low rolling resistance, which significantly increases range.”

Around 20% to 30% of a vehicle’s energy consumption, regardless of drive type, is due to rolling resistance. The lower the rolling resistance, the less energy is lost through natural deformation and friction as the tire rolls along the road. This is especially important for electric cars, where lower rolling resistance directly reduces energy consumption and can help extend driving range. At the same time, tires play a critical role in vehicle safety – they are the only points of contact between the vehicle and the road. The friction generated between the tire tread and the asphalt provides the grip required for effective braking and stable handling.

“Extremely low rolling resistance is key to enhancing the range of electric vehicles. With Continental, we have a strong partner by our side: thanks to our long-standing collaboration in original equipment, we can jointly develop solutions that have the potential to deliver real added value for our customers,” said Nicolas Champetier, VP Innovation at Renault Group.

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“Thanks to its universal digital twin, Michelin not only listens to the vehicle; it whispers (words of wisdom) in its ear in real time!” said Philippe Jacquin, Michelin Group executive vice president of research and development and a member of the group executive committee “Every tire, whatever the brand, has its very own embedded intelligence. By making its tires smarter, Michelin is bringing a new dimension to the role of tire manufacturer and is once again proving its commitment to enhancing safety for all road users.”

Safer driving experience

Michelin’s digital twin is a dynamic virtual replica of a tire. It continuously analyzes and predicts the state of tires at a given time, factoring in tire pressure, wear, load, grip and driving conditions and comparing these with in-vehicle data.

It directly interacts with the embedded systems to optimize their performance, helping to enhance safety by predicting maximum grip, preventing aquaplaning, boosting the effectiveness of ADAS systems such as ABS, monitoring tire pressure and detecting any overloading. This means the vehicle can anticipate grip, improve its stability, optimize fuel consumption and adapt braking distances by as much as several meters.

The integrated system provides real-time support based on tire condition, delivering practical benefits during driving. For drivers, this can contribute to a smoother, safer and more predictable driving experience without requiring changes to driving behaviour.

By providing a continuous stream of vehicle-based data, the system can support predictive maintenance and help extend tire life. Maintaining tires in optimal operating condition may reduce material use and lower environmental impact across the tire lifecycle. The approach is also intended to align with the increasing adoption of software-defined and autonomous vehicles, where performance, functionality and user experience can be updated over time.

Universal embedded system

Michelin’s 100% software-enabled embedded intelligence-driven system makes use of existing in-vehicle data without requiring additional tire-mounted sensors. It is compatible with all tire brands and models and can be fitted to all types of vehicles.

According to Michelin, the solution has been developed in collaboration with Brembo, Hyundai, QNX, ETAS and Sonatus, covering the full spectrum of innovation from fundamental research through to industrial integration at scale.

In a recent partnership with Brembo, the latter’s Sensify intelligent braking system was used to demonstrate the use of Michelin’s digital twin technology in ABS performance. By integrating tire condition data into braking algorithms, the system has shown potential to improve braking performance, including shorter braking distances of up to 4m and increased stability during heavy braking.

In related news, Univrses AI technology integrated into Pirelli Cyber Tyre platform

The combination of the technologies developed by Univrses and Pirelli will deliver vehicles that are “safer and more performant”, the companies said, with potential applications in ADAS and autonomous driving systems. The solution will also deliver timely, relevant and actionable data, for a range of road management use cases. Insights will enable road authorities to make better decisions and deploy resources more effectively, potentially reducing road-related accidents and saving lives.

The technologies use onboard cameras and tires to collect data that provide vital feedback on road conditions. Pirelli Cyber Tyre processes the information collected using the company’s proprietary software and algorithms, and communicates in real time with the vehicle’s electronics and with the cloud, enhancing a car’s safety systems and enabling the monitoring of road infrastructure status.

Univrses has adapted its technology, originally developed for vehicle perception, to enable AI-based road monitoring. It’s 3DAI solution is an AI system that digitizes city and roadside infrastructure using data from vehicle-mounted sensors such as cameras; and its 3DAI Engine provides autonomous vehicles with perception capabilities including 3D positioning, 3D mapping and spatial deep learning.

In 2025, Pirelli and the Puglia Region launched the first project based on this partnership, with a monitoring system for the regional road network creating an up-to-date map of infrastructure conditions. The system provides analyses based on data collected by tires and processed through the Cyber Tyre platform, together with visual data collected via cameras and interpreted using Univrses technology.

Pirelli chief executive officer Andrea Casaluci said, “The agreement with Univrses further enhances our Cyber Tyre platform, thanks to advanced AI‑based artificial vision technologies. The collaboration between Pirelli and Univrses will make a significant contribution to the ongoing transformation of cars into true software‑defined vehicles.”

Univrses CEO Jonathan Selbie added, “Continuous monitoring and data are becoming the new foundation for infrastructure asset management, and Univrses technology is able to provide powerful analytical capabilities based on reliable and frequently updated data. In this context, we are pleased to welcome Pirelli as an investor and to take our partnership to the next level: we will join forces to deliver increasingly advanced services and products.”

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

According to Yokohama, this system accelerates mold development while reducing costs and the reworking often required to realize a new mold design. By facilitating a greater understanding of the relationship between mold design factors and tire characteristics from multiple perspectives, it will give development staff new insights and enable them to design tires capable of higher performance levels.

The system was developed using Yokohama Rubber’s proprietary HAICoLab AI utilization concept. It automatically generates a large number of tire FEM models with different mold shapes, then calculates tire characteristics in a virtual space. The calculation results are used as training data to construct an AI model (surrogate model) that instantly predicts the relationship between mold design factors and tire characteristics. By applying XAI (explainable AI) technologies such as SHAP (Shapley additive explanations) and PDP (partial dependence plots) to this newly developed AI model, Yokohama Rubber development staff can easily determine how much they need to alter each mold design factor to achieve the targeted tire characteristics.

In related news, Pirelli develops bespoke P Zero R tires for Audi RS 5 and RS 3 Competition Limited

Ad-hoc development

Audi’s primary objective was braking performance. The P Zero R has been designed to approach the levels of performance of the semi-slick Trofeo R, delivering very short stopping distances and consistent deceleration under demanding conditions. To achieve this, Pirelli’s R&D center in Breuberg, working closely with its Milan headquarters, developed a new compound drawing on motorsport expertise.

The compound is optimized for strong grip even when cold, supporting Audi’s focus on safety and control during braking. While offering performance close to track-focused tires, the P Zero R remains suitable for everyday use and delivers improved efficiency, as reflected in its European label rating compared with other ultra-high-performance tires.

“The tire is the only connection between the vehicle and the road surface. Therefore, it plays a significant role in chassis development, especially in our RS models, where excellent handling has paramount importance,” said Steffen Bamberger, head of technical development at Audi Sport. “Plus a close, collaborative partnership is essential to achieving this level of performance.”

A balance of road and track

The RS 3 Competition Limited, created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the five-cylinder engine, features a coilover suspension, increased top speed and ceramic brakes, thus providing impressive driving dynamics.

Two tire options are available. The standard P Zero R offers strong grip in both dry and wet conditions while balancing everyday comfort with sporty performance. For more track-focused use, the P Zero Trofeo R semi-slick is road-legal but designed primarily for the circuit. Its asymmetrical tread and motorsport-derived compound deliver high levels of dry grip, improved stability and lateral support, and shorter braking distances.

Joint development

The development process leveraged digital simulation both at Pirelli and Audi’s R&D centers to simulate tire behavior, taking into account weight distribution and contact patch, and to optimize the management of high torque and wear resistance. Physical tests then confirmed the virtual data through joint sessions on some of the most demanding circuits in the world, from the Nürburgring Nordschleife for handling and durability to test tracks in Spain and laboratories in Milan.

Precision tire for RS level dynamics 

The RS 5, Audi Sport’s first high-performance plug-in hybrid, required the development of a new high-load (HL) tire size. The structure of the P Zero R has been reinforced to support the greater weight of the hybrid components, while ensuring the driving precision required for an Audi RS vehicle. This tire allows the high torque of the hybrid system to be effectively transferred to the road, offering greater grip and stability.

Related news, Toyo Tires breaks ground on R&D center in Serbia

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

Satoru Moriya, director, corporate officer, and vice president at the R&D headquarters, said, “We are excited about the potential of the Serbian R&D Center to refine cutting-edge processing technology from the ground up and to establish a European operational model that coordinates R&D, production and sales functions, thereby boosting the competitive advantages of the Proxes brand, among others. We expect this R&D Center to serve as a core hub for the development of advanced technologies, bolstering Toyo Tires’ global competitiveness through collaboration with its counterparts in Japan and the United States.”

President Vučić of the Republic of Serbia, added, “Today is a special day on which Toyo Tires, a Japanese friend of Serbia, sees its production base evolve into a strategic hub. This demonstrates that Serbia possesses the human resources, infrastructure and determination required to support advanced technological development, a fact of which I am very proud. Through investment and job creation, I look forward to building a strong future in partnership.”

With the opening of an R&D center in Germany in 2019, Toyo Tires established a global R&D framework alongside its tire technical centers in Japan and North America. To strengthen its competitiveness in Europe, the company has decided to consolidate its European R&D functions in Serbia, where its plant and sales operations are situated. The Serbian R&D Center is scheduled to become operational in January 2027.

In related news, Apollo Tyres opens dedicated outdoor tire testing facility in Finland

Adding to its worldwide R&D network, Nexen Tire has established a new European base at UTAC Ivalo to refine winter and all-weather products. Having been a customer for over two decades, the tire maker is no stranger to the winter testing grounds – and engineers now have their very own area on which to experiment. Construction began in April 2025, with the Purple Snow Ivalo Center, as it has been named, opening in December.

The European market accounts for more than 40% of the company’s total revenue, and with major European countries including Germany, Italy, Czech Republic and Sweden now requiring the use of certified winter tires with the 3PMSF marking during winter, this new asset is vital for Nexen. As part of its multi-pronged approach to strengthening winter tire development, it has also opened a laboratory to study the surface characteristics of roads in cold weather.

“We had been talking to car manufacturers for several years, saying that we needed this kind of facility, and finally the company agreed to it,” says Brad Kim, CTO of Nexen’s R&D Center in Korea.

The Purple Snow Ivalo Center features snow handling tracks with varying gradients and curves, including a 1,400 x 600m ride and handling circuit with an 18 m difference between the lowest and highest points; a track for testing the durability of studded tires; and a large straight of 700 x 40m. Upon completion, surface variation across all tracks was just 3cm – a result of which both Nexen and UTAC are incredibly proud.

Having this permanent base is a game-changer for Nexen, boosting testing capacity and the accuracy of results. Previously, with limited time to complete all tests, there was no room for flexibility, and if analyses needed to be repeated for correlation, it simply wasn’t possible. “If we were suspicious of the test results, but only scheduled to have the facility for a certain period of time, then there could be a long queue to test again,” explains Kim. “Now we can repeat a test as many times as we want until we are confident of the reliability [of the results].”

Out with the old, in with the new

Last August, the Korean auto industry’s first highly dynamic motion simulator began operating at Nexen’s tech center in Seoul, which will work in tandem with the Lapland base. This close connection between virtual and physical testing has become essential. Performance predictions can now be immediately cross-validated through on-snow driving tests, reducing the disparity between the real and digital worlds.

It’s no surprise that Kim’s team places a strong emphasis on virtual evaluation, aiming ultimately to need only one physical tire per program for validation. The Ansible Motion driving simulator is the starting point for transforming the company’s entire development process, which, Kim candidly told ATTI, is still largely done the traditional way. “We do virtual tire development pretty much the conventional way. We are currently judging whether we can integrate virtual testing methods into our conventional foundation phases.”

Kim describes this approach: “We build a tire and then test it. If we are not satisfied, we go back, adjust the compound or the construction, and then do more vehicle tests. Everything is well-established for virtual tire development, because we have many projects, so we just continue with the conventional approach.”

With one engineer often working on multiple projects at the same time – one product line may have as many as 140 sizes, and last year Nexen developed 600 additional sizes in the replacement market – it’s easy to see why the company has invested so substantially in new testing infrastructure. “In terms of productivity, I think we are top-notch – one engineer could be working on 10-20 different projects,” Kim proudly states.

“Some things you can estimate or judge on a single tire, like rolling resistance or spring constant. But what we need is to equip these tires on a specific vehicle, and we’re not there yet,” he adds. “We’re pushing in that direction; that’s why we installed the driving simulator. It’s about subjective feeling; it’s very difficult to objectively judge whether this tire fits this vehicle.”

It’s early days in Nexen Tire’s simulator journey, but the team is cracking on with getting up to speed and commissioning the system. “We’re in the middle of the conditioning stage, but at the same time we have started to do some tests with the machine. Our drivers should feel as if they are really driving, so we are tweaking the mechanics together with our simulator supplier. If there’s a way of tweaking parameters in the software, then we can do it.”

Another facet of the company’s digital analysis is the continued development of AI. Engineers have created a unique artificial intelligence tool, which they say has revolutionized analysis. For example, developers can input multiple parameters and have it predict rolling resistance. “The speed improvement is incredible. For a typical simulation, it could take about one day to give you the result; AI can take five minutes to get the same result, so it’s like a competition between simulation and AI.”

Working together, AI and simulation can be used to predict a tire’s footprint, for example.

Softly does it

Kim emphasizes that Nexen Tire does not limit its pool of suppliers and encourages proposals from potential new partners. It works with many of the major suppliers – Synthos, KKPC, LG Chem, Arlanxeo – as well some Japanese synthetic polymer suppliers.

He reveals that tire maker is currently “testing new concepts of compounds that remain flexible in low temperatures, with good handling and braking performance,” adding that it is also assessing novel construction concepts, especially in the replacement tire arena.

Middle man

Step by step, Nexen is performing correlation activities to refine the driving simulator, learning along the way. The engineers are clearly enjoying playing with their shiny new toy, but they’re not afraid to admit that they’re still getting to grips with it. “We need to learn from it. We know how to use it, but still the whole industry is in a learning phase,” comments vehicle dynamics expert Yannic Grassmuck.

In the replacement market, the sim could save a fortune, since changing a mold mid-project is not cost-effective. This is especially true in the winter tire segment, where molds are expensive and take longer to produce due to the sipes.

One of Grassmuck’s primary responsibilities is to translate OEM feedback for the engineers. Feedback is recorded in writing and then shared with the relevant team. Occasionally, joint tests are conducted with both Nexen and the OEM’s drivers, “which is very important because every OEM has small differences in the maneuvers that they drive, and the drivers need to be aligned on the expectations,” Grassmuck says.

According to Grassmuck, it’s common for an auto maker to allow three attempts at a virtual prototype, followed by only one or two real test loops.

The sticking point on every digital program remains the same as always: obtaining a vehicle model from the OEM. Companies have become more willing to provide these over the past year or two, says Grassmuck, but “it’s difficult. Some are willing to, some can officially provide [the model] but the internal process takes too long and it’s not very productive, so they give other options; there’s a workaround, let’s say.”

Who knows, maybe in the future Nexen Tire’s experts could have a smaller simulator in Europe, adds Grassmuck, but for now, they’re not getting ahead of themselves. It is a major financial investment, and they first need to maximize the potential of the simulator in Korea.

More on UTAC’s facilities in the November 2025 edition of ATTI

Read more about Nexen’s AI tire performance prediction tool

Nexen first announced it was to install a driving simulator in 2024. Find the full story on the TTI website here

Traditional tire pressure monitoring systems alert drivers only when pressure drops significantly, offering limited insight into tire performance. BANF’s solution, by contrast, measures acceleration, pressure, temperature and tread depth at thousands of samples per second inside the tire. Key signals – such as wheel-nut loosening, slip events or reduced friction – are processed within the tire, reducing communication load and improving response time before sending alerts to the vehicle.

“Tires generate terabytes of data related to friction, load and mechanical stress, but until now there was no viable way to capture and transmit that information in real time,” said BANF CEO Adam Sunghan You. “By combining Silicon Labs’ BG22 with our wireless power technology, we have unlocked a new level of tire intelligence.”

The system uses Silicon Labs’ Secure Vault technology to protect tire data from tampering or spoofing, a critical requirement for autonomous vehicles and fleet operators. Powering the sensors has historically been a challenge due to heat, mechanical stress and centrifugal forces inside the tire. BANF addresses this with a proprietary wireless power transfer solution: a Smart Profiler mounted on the vehicle’s fender delivers continuous energy to the battery-free iSensor, enabling uninterrupted data acquisition at thousands of hertz.

“Compute is no longer confined to the CPU – it extends across intelligent peripherals and sensors,” said Ross Sabolcik, senior vice president of product lines, Silicon Labs. “BG22 enables reliable, secure connectivity even in extreme environments, empowering innovators like BANF to digitize traditionally analog systems.”

BANF plans to use the collected data to expand into predictive maintenance, route optimization and insurance-linked services. By converting tires into intelligent, data-generating assets, the company aims to redefine vehicle operations and fleet management.

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The purpose-built site features dedicated snow and ice tracks, advanced measurement systems and tailored infrastructure to replicate a wide range of real-world winter conditions. The facility allows Apollo Tyres to conduct continuous testing throughout the season, improving data repeatability, reducing logistical complexity and accelerating development cycles.

“This inauguration is more than the opening of a facility; it is a clear demonstration of Apollo Tyres’ commitment to innovation, safety and performance excellence,” said Neeraj Kanwar, the vice chairman and MD of Apollo Tyres. “With this investment, we are strengthening our ability to develop tires that perform reliably in the most demanding winter conditions while maintaining exceptional year-round versatility.”

“This facility is a great asset within Apollo Tyres,” added Benoit Rivallant, the chief commercial officer of Apollo Tyres. “It is more than a tire test facility, as it also gives us the possibility to invite our customers to experience winter testing for themselves. This will strengthen their insights in tire development and performance.”

Daniele Lorenzetti, the chief technology officer at Apollo Tyres, commented, “The launch of our dedicated outdoor tire testing facility is a major step forward for our R&D capabilities. It gives us highly consistent, real-world data, enabling faster validation and quicker speed to market. Most importantly, it strengthens our ability to continuously improve tire performance, safety and sustainability, delivering better products to our customers, faster.”

The facility is designed to meet current technical and legal requirements while remaining adaptable to future regulatory and certification standards, reinforcing the company’s focus on performance, safety and innovation.

In related news, Bf1systems launches pocket-size instant TPMS diagnostic tool

Instant insight

1System QuickScan enables users to instantly read and verify data from individual 1System TPMS and infrared tire pressure and temperature monitoring system (IRTPTMS) wheel sensors immediately after fitting, without the need for a laptop and before wheels are fitted to the car.

The unit automatically connects to the nearest wheel sensor and clearly displays key information including sensor serial number, remaining sensor battery life, tire pressure, temperature, signal strength, error codes, position and tire set, sensor firmware version and security code.

Designed for motorsport

QuickScan is a compact handheld device well suited for trackside use. Its pocket-size hardware supports pit and garage diagnostics, while a long-life rechargeable battery with USB-C fast charging ensures extended operation. A bright 2.0in backlit display (up to 853 nits) with light and dark modes provides clear visibility in various conditions, and real-time data can be viewed in either metric or imperial units.

Seamless ecosystem

QuickScan operates through the 1System App, ensuring compatibility with Bf1systems’ latest software architecture and security framework. It supports 1System TPMS and IRTPTMS wheel sensors, and a lifetime device licence can be purchased directly from Bf1systems and deployed to the handheld unit via the 1System Core Plus application.

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