GOODYEAR AND TNO ENABLE SAFER MOBILITY WITH TIRE INTELLIGENCE

Integrating tire intelligence powered by Goodyear SightLine into advanced anti-lock brake systems has the potential to reduce stopping distance by nearly six feet

AKRON, Ohio, Jan. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, a leader in connected mobility, and TNO, a Dutch research organization, have showcased new possibilities for enhancing vehicle safety by integrating tire intelligence technology into the anti-lock brake system (ABS) controller of a test vehicle.

The ABS is an important safety component in modern vehicles designed to help the driver maintain steering control while braking. Through collaborative research and testing on a physical test vehicle, Goodyear and TNO effectively showcased that an improved ABS, equipped with information about the tire type and characteristics such as wear state, can potentially enhance overall system efficiency and reduce braking distance by as much as 5.75 feet¹.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were over 1.7 million rear-end crashes in 2021, accounting for nearly a third of all crashes in the United States². This integration can improve stopping distance performance, which has the potential to help drivers avoid accidents and reduce the severity of collisions, leading to enhanced road safety.

"Our collaborative work with TNO has yielded invaluable insights, with exciting possibilities to deliver greater value to our customers and support the future of mobility," said Werner Happenhofer, vice president, Tire Intelligence and eMobility solutions, Goodyear. "At Goodyear, we believe that by harnessing the power of tire intelligence, we can contribute to the bold goal of future mobility to reduce accidents." 

Goodyear and TNO began collaborating in 2021 through joint research and testing initiatives to evaluate and quantify the performance of the ABS controller on a physical car through the integration of intelligent tire information.

"TNO is dedicated to enhancing the safety, efficiency and sustainability of vehicles," said Machteld de Kroon, managing director, Unit Mobility & Built Environment, TNO. "Our collaboration with Goodyear aims to minimize every centimeter of braking distance. We firmly believe that by improving the integration of tires and braking systems, we can contribute to reducing accidents and ultimately saving lives."

Today, Goodyear SightLine, the company's suite of tire intelligence technologies, provides line of sight to the conditions of the tire, vehicle and road through advanced algorithms and real-time monitoring. Goodyear's developments in tire intelligence technologies are poised to transform the future of transportation, ushering in a new era of smart and sustainable mobility.

About The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Goodyear (NASDAQ: GT) is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 74,000 people and manufactures its products in 57 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.

About TNO

The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO is the largest Dutch independent research and innovation organisation. We connect people and knowledge to create innovations and evidence-based insights that boost the sustainable competitive strength of industry and well-being of society. Now and in the future. Together with our partners, we focus in particular on the societal challenges of a safe, healthy, sustainable and digital society. This is our mission and it is what drives us, the 5,000 professionals at TNO, in our work every day.

¹Calculated from an internal study using 205/55R16 winter tires on a prototype vehicle in a dry track environment, where the stopping distance of the vehicle driving at 80 km/hr with a tuned ABS controller was compared to the same vehicle with an untuned ABS controller.

²National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Traffic Safety Facts Annual Report Tables, Table 29: Crashes, by First Harmful Event, Manner of Collision, and Crash Severity, 2021

SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company