The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and TNO have successfully demonstrated that the integration of tyre intelligence technology into the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system of a vehicle has the potential to mitigate crashes even in challenging road conditions.

According to recent wet road testing, an improved AEB system with Goodyear SightLine technology may help reduce collisions at up to 80 kmph (50 mph) by applying brakes early. All things considered, the combination of AEB and SightLine insights on tyre and road condition data contributes to reliable performance in a variety of situations. This follows Goodyear and TNO's successful CES 2024 demonstration of tyre intelligence integration with antilock braking systems (ABS).

The automotive industry has placed a lot of emphasis on the AEB system, which applies the brakes automatically when a collision is about to occur in order to assist prevent or lessen the severity of crashes. The AEB system can work more efficiently in a variety of driving conditions, including low-friction surfaces like wet roads or ice, by integrating Goodyear SightLine, the company's suite of tyre intelligence solutions. Currently, existing systems are usually tuned for high-friction surfaces like dry asphalt. Tyre intelligence may give the AEB more detailed information about the real tyre and road conditions through the contact patch with the road, allowing for more intelligent and accurate decision-making.

Chris Helsel, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Goodyear, said, "Safety is a cornerstone of Goodyear's commitment to innovation. By providing critical inputs about tyre and road conditions into AEB systems, we are helping OEMs and their customers take a leap forward in safety, well ahead of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) 2029 mandate for AEB systems in passenger vehicles. Beyond this mandate, AEB systems will play a critical role in automated driving, helping to provide a comprehensive safety solution at all times."

Martijn Stamm, Marketing Director, Unit Mobility & Built Environment, TNO, said, "TNO is dedicated to enhancing the safety, efficiency and sustainability of vehicles. Our collaboration with Goodyear aims to predict the braking distance of a vehicle in more conditions, like dry and wet asphalt, and trigger the AEB timely to reduce accidents and ultimately safe lives. This knowledge is a key enabler for a safe introduction of higher levels of automation."

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Wallace Instruments, a globally recognised leader in rubber testing equipment, has expanded its United Kingdom-manufactured specimen preparation lineup with the launch of the WAS3 Pneumatic Cutting Press. The new device joins the company’s range of rubber testing equipment.

Unlike manual cutting methods, pneumatic systems apply consistent force on every cycle, eliminating operator fatigue and variability. Poorly prepared specimens with uneven edges or internal stress can compromise test accuracy, while the pneumatic approach also reduces repetitive physical strain, supporting technician wellbeing during long production runs.

The WAS3 prioritises safe single-operator use through a two-button activation system requiring both buttons to be pressed within half a second, preventing any hand contact with the cutting area. Additional three-sided protective guards further enhance operational safety.

Delivering 15 kN of cutting force, the press easily cuts through 10-mm thick, 95 Shore A rubber sheet using five bar of filtered air pressure. It works with existing Wallace cutting dies, so laboratories can integrate the unit without replacing current tooling, and its compact footprint suits both lab and production environments.

Chris Norval, Managing Director, Wallace Instruments, said, "Specimen preparation is the foundation of accurate rubber testing. With the WAS3, we focused on practical safety, dependable cutting performance and drop-in compatibility. Labs get a compact pneumatic press that fits the air lines already in place, uses their current Wallace dies and delivers consistent results for every operator – because when specimen quality is controlled, you can have confidence in the results that follow."

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DUNLOP (company name: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.) has teamed up with Fujitsu Limited to create an artificial intelligence (AI) surrogate model that predicts tyre performance rapidly and with high precision. The breakthrough was validated in a proof of concept tied to DUNLOP’s digital transformation strategy. When applied to tyre deformation upon road contact, the technology slashed analysis time by 90 percent, from 45 minutes to just 5 minutes while processing nearly 600,000 mesh elements.

Based on these results, both firms will build a design support tool, aiming for deployment at DUNLOP by April 2027. The system runs on FUJITSU MONAKA, a next-generation energy efficient Arm-based CPU.

Tyre design typically relies on finite element method (FEM) analysis, where finer mesh grids boost accuracy but increase calculation time and costs. To tackle this, the partners developed an AI surrogate model that solves FEM equations using past data. The model, based on the Graph Neural Network algorithm, predicted contact shape with 87.7 percent accuracy, enabling faster decisions and lower costs.

Select findings will be shared at the 31st Computational Engineering Conference starting 3 June 2026. By December 2026, both companies will test the model on a FUJITSU MONAKA prototype to refine speed and power use.

Under its long-term strategy R.I.S.E. 2035, DUNLOP seeks to provide new experiential value from rubber. Through this co creation, the tyre maker will enhance its analytical technologies and strengthen innovation. Fujitsu will promote this approach across large scale FEM analysis in automotive and other manufacturing sectors, contributing to carbon neutrality via an AI platform combining FUJITSU MONAKA and GNN.

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Starrett-Bytewise has appointed GL Inspect GmbH as its new European sales representative. The German firm, led by Christian Lantzsch and based in Hargesheim, will oversee regional operations. The partnership aims to provide local expertise for demanding measurement challenges across tyre plants, steel mills and extrusion lines.

Lantzsch and the GL Inspect team bring a sophisticated understanding of non-contact metrology. Their technical background aligns with the diverse industrial sectors served by Starrett-Bytewise, ensuring that European customers receive support tailored to specific materials and production environments. The collaboration strengthens local technical knowledge and on-site application assistance.

Under this agreement, European customers gain direct access to local consultations and expanded on-site evaluations led by Lantzsch’s team. Laser measurement solutions can be better integrated into individual production lines. The partnership also streamlines communication and support, building on existing European infrastructure to enable seamless transitions to automated in-line inspection.

The appointment represents a significant investment in European infrastructure. Having GL Inspect on the ground shortens the distance between Starrett-Bytewise’s U.S. engineering team and local factory floors. Faster application assessments, more frequent site visits and industry-specific language support are key outcomes of the new arrangement.

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NTE Holding has officially established NTE Mechatronics Srl, a new entity focused on developing advanced mechatronic machinery and systems for the tyre industry, with specialised emphasis on the off-the-road (OTR) and agricultural sectors. The company is headquartered in Rovereto, within the Trentino innovation ecosystem, and represents a strategic evolution of the holding’s industrial vision to integrate process engineering, automation and intelligent mechatronics for next-generation manufacturing solutions worldwide.

Built upon the industrial legacy and technical expertise of the former Marangoni Meccanica organisation, the new venture goes beyond a simple asset acquisition. According to Fabio Novelli, NTE Holding’s President and CEO, the goal was to relaunch and transform a historic industrial competence into an innovation platform for the future. NTE Mechatronics merges deep knowledge in industrial automation, process technologies and mechatronics with the broader NTE Group’s engineering capabilities, working closely with NTE Process, which is known for advanced upstream technologies such as dense-phase conveying, storage, dosing, and batching systems for the rubber and tyre sector.

Strategic collaborations with Trentino Sviluppo, the University of Trento and the ProM Facility support accelerated research, reverse engineering, metal 3D printing and rapid industrialisation. Today, the company is rapidly expanding its engineering and organizational structure to strengthen capabilities in advanced mechatronic integration, AI-driven process optimisation, predictive monitoring, smart diagnostics, energy-efficient manufacturing and custom-engineered machinery for next-generation tyre production. Core to its philosophy is a strong belief in the value of Italian engineering and manufacturing culture.

For 2026, NTE Mechatronics has set strategic priorities that include reconnecting with former Marangoni Meccanica customers, reinforcing international commercial activities and developing new technologies specifically for the OTR and agriculture tyre sectors, with Europe and the United States as primary target markets. The establishment of the company marks a significant advancement in the group’s growth trajectory, reaffirming its commitment to technological excellence and industrial specialisation.

Novelli said, “We saw the opportunity to remodel a significant industrial legacy into an innovation platform. This approach has enabled us to preserve specialised expertise, ensure industrial continuity and relaunch a historic Italian company with a forward-looking vision. At NTE Mechatronics, we believe that Italian engineering represents far more than technical competence – it is a culture of craftsmanship, creativity and industrial vision. Companies choose Italy when they are looking for something beyond standardisation: distinctive solutions, superior quality, advanced engineering and a different way of thinking about manufacturing.”

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