Bridgestone has joined hands with an Italian game developer, Milestone, on the latest instalment of the popular RIDE videogame series, RIDE 4.

RIDE 4, the ultimate competitive gaming experience for two-wheel enthusiasts, will launch worldwide on October 8th 2020 on Playstation 4, XBOX One and PC.

Bridgestone said that riders can have an experience the performance and durability of Bridgestone tyres in the virtual world, just like they do in real life.

Through this partnership, Bridgestone aims to solidify its position as a market leader for motorbike tyres, as well as showcase its products and legacy in the competitive racing world – and all in innovative and engaging way for motorbike and videogame lovers worldwide.

 In RIDE 4, riders from every corner of the globe will have the chance to experience a smooth and fast ride with Bridgestone tyres on 34 accurately reproduced virtual tracks, just like they would do in reality. The game includes a vast array of Bridgestone motorcycle tyres, which can be mounted on over 250 bike models from 22 different manufacturers. Bridgestone brand will also be featured digitally within the game, with sponsored suits and gear, billboards on racing tracks as well as dedicated game modes.

 “As a global mobility leader with a large portfolio of premium products and solutions including premium motorcycle tyres, we saw fit to make our debut in the virtual world by partnering with Milestone, a proven leader in two wheel simulation games” – commented Nico Thuy, Head of Motorcycle Business at Bridgestone EMIA.

 Luisa Bixio, CEO at Milestone, stated: “We are delighted to be partnering with Bridgestone on RIDE 4. Working alongside a market leader, with a proven track record in endurance and premium products, is key to replicating the real-world experience we have achieved with RIDE 4.”

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Swedish automotive software leader NIRA Dynamics AB and BANF Smart Tire System of South Korea have announced a new partnership aimed at significantly enhancing vehicle safety and predictive maintenance for commercial vehicles. The collaboration will see BANF integrate its high-frequency tyre sensors into NIRA's established software ecosystem.

This strategic alliance aims to disrupt Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS), providing commercial fleets and automakers with unprecedented real-time insights into tyre health and road safety. NIRA Dynamics, founded in 2001, is a global automotive software powerhouse with its technologies deployed in over 120 million vehicles worldwide, including an indirect TPMS (iTPMS) that has surpassed 110 million units sold.

Under the agreement, NIRA will incorporate BANF's triaxial tyre sensors into its Road Surface Information (RSI) and Wheel Safety Insights (WSI) platforms. These platforms already utilise existing vehicle sensor data and proprietary algorithms for functions like tyre grip estimation, tread wear analysis and loose wheel detection.

BANF's key innovation lies in its Smart Profiler system, which wirelessly powers internal tyre sensors directly from the vehicle battery, overcoming the challenge of continuous power and real-time data transmission from rotating tyres. This integration will significantly enhance NIRA's capabilities, particularly for monitoring commercial vehicle loads and dual-tyre setups, by providing sensor data at high sampling rates of 1kHz and 4kHz.

Otto Johansson, Head of Innovation at NIRA Dynamics, said, "This collaboration accelerates our vision of creating a comprehensive vehicle intelligence network. While our software solutions already process data from millions of vehicles, adding specialised hardware enables new use cases in predictive maintenance and ADAS applications."

NIRA's evolution from software-only tyre pressure monitoring to multi-layered safety systems is evident in its flagship Tyre Pressure Indicator (TPI) technology, which has eliminated the need for physical sensors in many applications, significantly reducing electronic waste. The company has also collaborated with automotive giants like Volkswagen Group on innovations such as Road Surface Alerts.

The partnership also addresses critical safety needs in commercial vehicles. NIRA's Loose Wheel Indicator (LWI), already deployed in Audi vehicles, will now be extended to heavy-duty vehicles through the BANF collaboration, aiming to mitigate the thousands of annual wheel detachment incidents reported.

For fleet operators, the integrated system promises substantial operational benefits. NIRA's Winter Road Insights product, which helps optimise road maintenance, combined with BANF's wear prediction algorithms, is expected to lead to reduced tyre replacement costs and improved fuel efficiency.

Ron Yoogun Lee, Head of Business Development, BANF, said, “Our goal is to enhance cost-effectiveness, save lives and preserve the environment by digitising tyres, which are the last analog domain in the mobility industry.”

Looking ahead, NIRA's technology roadmap includes developing ‘grip maps’ for SAE Level 2-3 autonomous vehicles and leveraging data from millions of vehicles to create AI models for predictive infrastructure maintenance, further solidifying its position at the forefront of automotive innovation.

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AI-powered mobile data capture company Anyline has launched TireBuddy, a smartphone-based app designed to modernise tyre inspections in automotive service bays. The app replaces traditional, manual inspection methods with a standardised digital workflow that delivers consistent, data-backed results and clear customer reports.

TireBuddy offers technicians tools to detect tread depth issues, tyre age, alignment concerns and sidewall damage using AI-powered analysis and visual reporting – without the need for additional hardware. Reports can be instantly shared in digital or printed formats, helping to reduce manual entry errors and increase customer trust.

The launch comes ahead of National Tire Safety Week (30 June 30 – 4 July), positioning the app as a timely solution for shops preparing for the summer travel season.

Lukas Kinigadner, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Anyline, said, “TireBuddy is not only about faster inspections — it’s about more trustworthy ones. We’re helping garages and service centres replace subjective tyre checks with data-backed insights and visual reporting that both technicians and customers can rely on.”

Frederic Baroin, Global Head of Automotive Business at Anyline, said, “TireBuddy empowers technicians with real-time, reliable data that strengthens recommendations and builds customer confidence. We designed it to deliver clarity, not complexity, in every inspection.”

By enhancing inspection accuracy and transparency, Anyline said TireBuddy can also drive higher service approvals and boost shop revenue.

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Indian tyre maker CEAT said it has purchased the country’s first Scania 460 G prime mover truck to strengthen its research and development operations as the company pushes to expand in overseas markets.

The Mumbai-based manufacturer described the acquisition as part of efforts to upgrade its commercial vehicle tyre testing capabilities to international standards, particularly for certification in Europe and the United States.

The Scania G460 produces 460 horsepower from its 12.7-litre engine and can handle a gross vehicle weight of 150,000 kilograms (330,693 pounds). The truck features Scania’s Super engine technology, which the Swedish manufacturer says improves fuel efficiency while cutting emissions.

CEAT officials stated that the new testing platform will help accelerate product development and reduce costs while meeting stricter global standards.

“This high-performance vehicle is not just a prime mover — it’s a strategic investment in our Commercial Vehicle Tyre Testing Infrastructure, aimed at elevating our research & development capabilities to meet global standards,” the company said in a statement.

The investment comes as Indian tyre companies grapple with volatile raw material prices while trying to capitalize on strong domestic demand from India’s growing automotive sector. Industry analysts say that manufacturers are under pressure to improve efficiency and expand internationally in order to maintain profitability.

CEAT joins other major Indian tyre makers in ramping up research capabilities as they compete for market share both domestically and abroad.

The company said the new truck will support vehicle dynamics testing and help reduce the time needed to bring new commercial tyre products to market.

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SDVerse, a leading B2B marketplace for vehicle software, has announced that global tyre major Goodyear will now promote its SightLine suite of tyre intelligence software offerings on the SDVerse platform.

This collaboration marks a significant move for Goodyear into the burgeoning software-defined vehicle (SDV) space, offering tyre-centric software solutions designed to boost vehicle performance, safety and efficiency.

Goodyear's intelligent mobility solutions, including real-time tyre health diagnostics, road surface sensing and predictive maintenance insights, are engineered to allow OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers to integrate tyre intelligence directly into a vehicle's core systems.

SDVerse will be the inaugural online marketplace to feature Goodyear's expansion from traditional hardware into the digital realm of mobility. This strategic shift by Goodyear reflects the industry's increasing focus on data-driven, connected platforms where every vehicle component contributes to a safer and more efficient driving experience.

Werner Happenhofer, Vice-President of Global Tire Intelligence & Solutions at Goodyear, said, "Our tyre intelligence technologies are at the core of our commitment to innovation. Integrating these technologies into a vehicle's control systems represents a significant step forward in enhancing vehicle safety, performance and efficiency. Partnering with SDVerse gives us the opportunity to collaborate with other members and OEMs as we meet the evolving demands of the industry."

For SDVerse, Goodyear's entry further solidifies its mission to revolutionise automotive software sourcing by connecting buyers and sellers, accelerating innovation and enabling software-defined mobility at scale.

Prashant Gulati, CEO, SDVerse, said, "We’re thrilled to welcome Goodyear to SDVerse. Goodyear’s move into software is not only bold but incredibly timely. Their presence on our platform underscores the breadth of what software-defined vehicles can become – where even tyres evolve into intelligent systems contributing real-time data and decision-making capabilities across the vehicle ecosystem."

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