THE DIFFERENCE IS IN TYRE DESIGN!
August 19, 2019 |
Michelin has everything to gain from increased transparency
Michelin’s consumer-centric “LONG LASTING PERFORMANCE” approach has long been at the heart of its activity. That approach has now garnered recognition from EU institutions, which have added the principle of worn tyre testing to EU regulations. To demonstrate the importance of that testing, Michelin recently held tests to measure the performance gap between different worn tyres, with the goal of: ensuring that everyone can insist on tyres that are safe to the last kilometre... and beyond.
‘Given that wet braking performance, which is vital for safety, decreases as tyres are driven, the EU institutions’ initiative* to introduce worn tyre testing should be hailed as a positive step. While some manufacturers do currently design tyres that are safe up to the wear limit (1.6 mm), nothing prevents manufacturers from marketing tyres whose braking performance drops sharply with use. The lack of regulatory minimum performance requirements for worn tyres can therefore lead consumers to remove their tyres before they reach the legal wear limit, but, contrary to popular belief, tread depth doesn't guarantee safe tyres.’
Cyrille Roget, Michelin Group Technical and Scientific Communication Director
Safety is about more than just tread depth, it depends on the tyre’s overall performance —and how a tire performs up to the legal wear limit depends on the manufacturer’s design choices.
'The technologies and design rules needed to design tires that stay safe all the way to the legal wear limit are available to all manufacturers. The difference lies in their willingness to apply them and to go a step further by investing in research to enhance safety.'
ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSUMER BUDGET BENEFITS
'In addition to safety, the Long Lasting Performance approach also helps reduce the tyre industry’s environmental impact while saving money for consumers - two of Michelin’s core values. Having tyres that are still safe when worn would mean changing our tyres less often,and that would be better for the planet, since it would save resources and reduce CO2 emissions.'
Cyrille Roget
AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS BY MICHELIN AND OTHER TYRE AND CAR MAINTENANCE PROFESSIONALS
Michelin and other tyre and car maintenance professionals and vehicle fleets recently published a manifesto to raise public awareness of the importance of worn tyre testing, and in support of the European Union’s initiative. (Link to the manifesto). The movement is particularly strong in France and seven other European countries: Germany, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, and Romania. Other countries have also announced their willingness to adopt this approach.
HOW SHOULD WORN TYRE PERFORMANCE BE MEASURED?
Michelin believe that the test currently used for new tyres can also be used for worn tyres, since it corresponds to the real risks that drivers face on the road. They demonstrated that in early July, with tests held on the OAMTC track in Teesdorf, Austria, near Vienna.
Cyrille Roget
The wet braking test for new tyres consists of measuring the deceleration distance for a vehicle going from 80 km/h** to 20 km/h on a standard road surface covered with 1 mm*** of water
*The EU institutions affirmed the importance of testing worn tyres during the revision of the General Safety Regulation, which is slated for formal adoption this fall, and a UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) working group has been formed to define the test procedures, benchmark tyres, and regulatory requirements.
**With regard to the use of 80 km/h, the data from Gidas (German In-Depth Accident Study project) shows that in 90% of accidents on wet roads, the car was moving at a speed of 80 km/h or less before the accident began (e.g. before the driver hit the brakes or swerved).
*** In Germany, for example, 99% of driving is done on roads that are dry, damp, or covered with less than 1 mm of water.
Source: https://www.michelin.com/en/news/we-have-everything-to-gain-from-increased-transparency/
