Sumitomo Rubber eyes 2027 launch for ‘active tread’ technology in Europe

London – Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI) expects tires featuring its 'active tread' technology to be available on the European market from 2027, Dunlop Tyre Europe has confirmed to ERJ.

The technology is designed to control the movement of polymers in the rubber by incorporating two "switches" that respond to changes in road surface conditions.

The first, a "water switch", replaces part of the covalent bonds between polymers with ionic bonds, which dissociate when exposed to water.

When the tire comes into contact with water, the switch is activated, making the rubber surface softer and improving grip on wet roads.

The second, a "temperature switch", is based on a material in which "hydrophilic portions and hydrophobic portions are combined at low temperatures while they are separated from each other at high temperatures."

According to SRI, activating the temperature switch enables the material to remain softer at low temperatures, improving grip on icy road surfaces while exhibiting properties opposite to those of conventional rubber compounds.

In a 6 July statement to ERJ, Dunlop Tyre said it expects tires equipped with the technology to reach the European market from 2027, although it has yet to decide which product will be the first to feature the technology.

SRI also confirmed that Dunlop-branded tires have been supplied in Europe under the company's brand ownership since the start of the year.

The first SRI-developed Dunlop tire for the region, the Blue Response TG, was launched this spring.