Bridgestone, the world’s largest Tyre and Rubber Company, has disclosed that it has developed a new technology that will predict tyre performance to help discover defects with tyres without driving it.
Stefano Sanchini, Regional Managing Director, Middle East & Africa at Bridgestone noted that the company’s founder, Shōjirō Ishibashi, was ahead of his time which is evident from the new technology he developed. According to the company, the new technology is intertwined with Bridgestone goal in reducing emissions. He noted that the company itself is aiming to transform its operations and manufacturing with the goal of carbon neutrality through the full value chain and the product life cycle with sustainable products by 2050.
“Serving society with superior quality has been driving most of the action and decisions that we have taken during this last 50 years. When we look ahead to the 2050 vision, which is to create social and customer value as a sustainable solution company, I was really excited to see how modern this corporate mission was.”
Stefano Sanchini
Mr Sanchini said that “Today, Bridgestone is fundamentally centered on tires, but they are looking beyond this to the wider mobility ecosystem.” The needs of electric vehicles will be different and the company has to respond with a product that is fit for purpose. With this, Sanchini said that the answer lies in the circular economy.
“We know that it is a long journey to sustainability, but we are fully committed to a positive change for people and for the planet. We strongly believe in the circular economy. This means reuse, repair, redesign, re-manufacturing products for more sustainable production and consumption.”
Stefano Sanchini
Condition of Tyre Affects Fuel Consumption
The Managing Director indicated that Tires are the point where the vehicle meets the road and the quality and condition of the tire affects fuel consumption, steering, braking and acceleration. Sanchini asserted that data collection is crucial to understanding the performance of the whole vehicle.
“Data will give real insights to the operator of the vehicle to maximize their performance and safety. This data is collected through RFID sensors and telematics, then analyzed with artificial intelligence and machine learning. Our innovative technology of virtual tire development predicts the performance of a new tire without even producing and driving it.”
Stefano Sanchini
Sanchini explained that testing prototype tires in digital space first makes sense; a new tire may be tested over 40,000km. Failing early in the virtual world is a lot safer and more cost effective than failing on the road. He emphasized that sensors have a role to play in detecting damage to a tyre.
“We are working with Microsoft on our tire damage monitoring system to maximize road safety and minimize accidents coming from technical filler. With this new technology, the agency responsible for the road will have visibility on when and where the damage happened so we can map pits and plan repairs.”
Stefano Sanchini
Future Cars to Be Different from What is in the System Today
The Managing Director iterated that Bridgestone is building a future in which tires are tested virtually before they are manufactured, saying that “They will be tailored to the vehicle on which they are fitted. And they will transmit information not only to the driver but to authorities, protecting both the driver and the built environment.”
“The car of tomorrow will be quite different from what we are used to seeing. Imagine a connected vehicle, autonomous, shared, and most of all electric. Electrification is an unstoppable trend which we are supporting with tires that best match the requirements of electric vehicles. We have breakthrough technology to optimize the tire and reduce noise, as well as reducing the rolling resistance of the tire by 30 percent with a 20 percent reduction in weight.”
Stefano Sanchini
Sanchini stated that weight is an important factor with electric vehicles, and as such, he disclosed that Bridgestone is working closely with the major manufacturing companies like BMW, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Audi and Nissan, as well as a number of promising newcomers in the electric vehicle field.
Sanchini believes that to create a sustainable future, everyone has to transform and grasp opportunity.
“Disruptive times bring challenges, but also unique opportunities. We are looking with enthusiasm to transform the company from a worldwide tire manufacturer to a global leader in mobility solutions. We’ve been acquiring innovative companies to become a more diverse digital and future-oriented business.”
Stefano Sanchini
