Michelin, academic partners launch tire research laboratory

Clermont-Ferrand, France – Michelin and four French academic partners have inaugurated a joint research laboratory to develop new approaches to tire performance, rubber compound manufacturing and flexible materials.

The I-TireLab project involves an investment of €4.5 million over four years and will combine industrial data with simulation and modelling technologies, Michelin announced 6 Nov.

The partners include the University of Poitiers, Universite Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble INP – UGA and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).

According to Michelin, the collaboration aims to “bring academic research closer to industrial challenges," with four areas of research covering tire condition monitoring, vehicle control systems, rubber compound manufacturing and flexible materials.

One focus will be the development of methods to estimate tire wear and road grip in real time using sensors already fitted to production vehicles.

The researchers aim to achieve this without additional specialised equipment, while enabling vehicle systems to adapt braking to tire condition and available grip.

A further research area will focus on rubber compounding processes, using simulation and control tools to predict production equipment behaviour and optimise operating settings.

The objective is to maintain "consistent quality" of rubber compounds while reducing raw-material waste and energy consumption, Michelin said.

"I-TireLab should enable us to transform science into concrete innovations, from the tire itself to its manufacture and its interaction with the vehicle," said Philippe Jacquin, Michelin's R&D director.

Jacquin highlighted Michelin Touch Intelligence, the tire digital twin unveiled in May, as a potential application of the research.

The technology combines vehicle sensor data with Michelin's models to estimate tire pressure, wear, load and grip in real time, without requiring additional sensors.

According to Jacquin, the objective is to better understand "tire condition and available grip," enabling vehicles to anticipate and adapt their behaviour.

The laboratory will also explore the use of flexible materials to control airflow and water flow through changes in their shape.

This particular research could contribute to future development of Michelin's Wisamo automated inflatable sail, designed to reduce ships' fuel consumption through wind-assisted propulsion.