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This is what the tires of the future have to do
In an exclusive interview with Christian Mühlhäuser, Managing Director Bridgestone Central Europe, we find out what tasks the tires of the future will have to master and what enormous differences electric cars will require in tire development.
This is what the tires of the future have to do
Mr. Mühlhäuser, how does Bridgestone imagine the future of passenger car tires?
We always keep an eye on the developments of all market trends, innovations and mobility solutions. Our R&D centers play a key role in our future-oriented positioning, especially in the areas of tire material research, tire design and development, prototype production and all forms of testing.
For Bridgestone, the tire of the future is not just “one design” - it must provide significant support in addressing the macro trends such as CASE mobility (translation: Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric), urbanization or resource scarcity that influence our world and industry. The tire of the future will therefore be networked and intelligent. Thanks to predictive models, drivers will benefit from new levels of comfort, efficiency and safety in the future. The tire is beyond that low noise. For example, electric vehicles almost completely eliminate engine noise; the sound of conventional tires is normally overshadowed by the noise of a combustion engine. The tire will too lighter because lighter tires require fewer material resources to produce, use less fuel and help reduce CO2emissions.
Which technologies/properties will the tires of the future have to fulfill?
With a look at our current portfolio, we have both products and the corresponding solutions, for example our newly developed oneLightweight tire technology Enlites. This allows you to get around on average30 percent lower rolling resistancethan a conventional premium summer tire andincreases the range of an electric vehiclethusclearly. This also contributes to thisWeight savings of around 20 percentwhich is approx. 2kg per tire. Bridgestone Turanza Eco tires with this technology have so far been used as original equipment for the Audi RSQ3, the Fiat 500 BEV, the new Golf 8 series and the groundbreaking Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4.
Another example is ours B-Silent technology, which was also developed with the aim of minimizing noise in the vehicle in order to increase driving comfort for passengers. These technologies show that we attach great importance to this development and that our R&D team continuously develops new, high-performance and sustainably oriented solutions with a high level of commitment and the latest technology.
In addition, this also plays for us virtual conception an important role because by developing a digital tire - a digital twin - Bridgestone can test many properties without physical samples. This bringsEnvironmental benefitsand can do thatReduce time to market.
Last but not least, so will the tires of the future more damage resistant. With our Run Flat technology, we have been enabling drivers for many years to retain control of the vehicle in the event of a tire failure and continue driving for around 80 km at up to 80 km/h.
What does the growth of the electric vehicles and hybrids division in particular mean for your R&D team?
This can be explained very well with the original equipment: Regardless of the vehicle type, every tire development in the OE division aims to coordinate the interaction between the chassis and tires as ideally as possible in the interests of maximum safety.
Electric vehiclesthe latest generation, for exampleclear conceptual differences compared to conventional vehicle conceptson. These include, among others, the one caused by the battery packdeep center of gravity, thelower dynamic axle load shifting, thehigh torque on the wheelor even thatchanged vehicle interior acoustics. In order to best meet the individual requirements profile of a BEV, specially developed tires, so to speak tailor-made tires, such as versions of our Bridgestone Turanza Eco, naturally deliver the most convincing results overall.
For our R&D team, the challenge is to balance the tire width and outside diameter. They must not extend too far inwards on the vehicle, otherwise the battery pack would be in the way - and also not outwards due to legal regulations.Tires for electric carsThis is why they often show onelarge diameter and a narrower tire widthon. The large diameter promotes load capacity and lower rolling resistance for the same width. In order to resolve these conflicting goals in parameters such as rolling resistance, wet grip and mileage as optimally as possible, we work successfully with, among other things, innovative high-end tread compounds, which continually open up new, targeted solutions as a result of development.
Using the latest technologies, our technicians and engineers continue to reduce these conflicting goalsnew rubber compounds,improved profile structures, theOptimization of the tire contact areathrough simulations or evenLightweight construction. Our Enliten lightweight technology, for example, not only ensures less energy loss when accelerating or decelerating thanks to its significant weight reduction and the associated lower mass inertia, but also conserves resources by using less material. The ever-improving possibilities of digital simulation also provide valuable data long before the products actually exist. They make a significant contribution to identifying potential problem areas at an early stage in the project and subsequently developing more efficient solutions. With state-of-the-art technologies, constant development and partnerships with the world's leading automobile manufacturers, Bridgestone is continuously working on the sustainable direction of the mobility of the future.