Game-changing technologies: News and views

News and views on developments in digitalisation and automation that are set to revolutionise the design, manufacture, testing and supply of tires and industrial rubber products:

GM’s autonomous vehicle unit gets $2.25bn boost

Detroit, Michigan – SoftBank Vision Fund, a prominent technology investment firm, is investing $2.25 billion in Cruise Automation, General Motors’ autonomous vehicle operation. The investment will provide financial backing for the auto maker’s plan to begin launching self-driving vehicles on a volume basis in 2019, GM said 31 May.

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Toyota to open US autonomous testing facility

Detroit, Michigan – The Toyota Research Institute plans to open a closed-course testing facility for autonomous vehicles at the Michigan Technical Resource Park in Ottawa Lake, Michigan. The 60-acre site, to open in October, will be used to reproduce scenarios that are too risky to execute on public roads, TRI said in a statement, and will involve “congested urban environments, slick surfaces and a four-lane divided highway with high-speed entrance and exit ramps.” Read more

Didi alliance eyes 10 million EVs by 2028

Beijing –Didi Chuxing is the force to reckon with in Chinese ride-hailing. First for locals, who can't seem to crisscross a city here without it. And now for international auto industry companies. Read more

Conti adding trailer version of TPMS for trucks

Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico – Continental Tire the Americas has developed a stand-alone version of its ContiPressureCheck tire pressure monitoring system, designated for use on trailers. Read more

Future Tire: Q&A with VMI R&D manager, tire building

In this Q&A, Erwin Zweers, VMI R&D manager, tire building, gives his views on the development of new technologies for the tire manufacturing arena,, Read more

Continental developing aquaplaning warning system

Conti engineers are developing an aquaplaning alert system that uses signals from surround-view cameras and tire-mounted electronic sensors to warn the vehicle's driver and engage active stabilisation measures. Read more

Future Tire: Q&A with Conti’s tire line development leader

Interview with Philipp Struck, head of tire line development EMEA OE at Continental on new technology trends… Read more

Facebook's privacy problem in the era of self-driving car

All eyes were on Washington as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg faced Congress to answer for the widespread data-sharing controversy involving political data firm Cambridge Analytica. At one point Tuesday, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., asked Zuckerberg, "Would you be comfortable sharing with us the name of the hotel you stayed in last night?   Read more

Future Tire Conference: Q&A with Cimcorp technology director

ERJ interviews Jyrki Anttonen technology director, Cimcorp Oy about current trends in the global tire manufacturing industry… Read more

HF boss has high hopes for new TBM technology

With 23 years’ experience in the tire industry, Markus Wachter joined the Hamburg-based HF Group in 2016, as executive vice president extrusion & tire building machine technology. The appointment meant a move from tire-making to making machinery for Wachter... Read more

Future Tire: Q&A with Enzo Sorrentino of Rockwell Automation

ERJ interviews Enzo Sorrentino of Rockwell Automation about current trends in the global tire manufacturing industry. Read more

Will tire makers ever see the light?

COMMENT – Electric vehicles, connected mobility and autonomous driving, are forecast by many to radically change the way we all travel around in the not-too-distant future. While there is clearly an element of hype around connected mobility, there seems little doubt that some big changes are on the way…  Read more