Conti exec sets scene for future tire industry

Hanover, Germany - In a keynote address at the Tire Technology Expo conference in Hanover, Continental executive Christian Koetz set out the tire maker's strategy for addressing the complex challenges facing the industry in the years head.

"Predicting the future is key to the success of Continental," the group's executive vice president, business unit, replacement P LT tires, EMEA, said at the 16 Feb opening session of the conference.

But instead of extrapolating past and current trends, the Hanover-based group has turned to a scenario-based approach to help it better assess what mobility will look like in the years ahead, Koetz explained.

The last of these scenario, for example, would see greater emphasis on vehicle standardisation, public transport and autonomous vehicle - a  trends, said Koetz, "that we in the tire industry are both scared and excited about."

While elements of each scenario were likely to materialise, the goal for Conti was to prioritise around which scenario was most likely to predominate.

More generally, the Conti EMEA executive said that the changes that lie ahead, including increasing regulation, intelligent cars and a shift from crude-oil based materials "will drive new requirements, which is good for the tire industry.

"I am convinced that the tire is by no means a mature product from a technological point of view. Our industry is getting more and more specialised [in developing] intelligent tire technologies that are safer, more sustainable and more affordable."