Bridgestone Developing Even Quieter Tyres Through Autonomous Driving Tech

Bridgestone Corporation has found a new method to achieve lower tyre noise emission, through the application of automated unmanned vehicles to perform the performance tests.

Together with ZMP Inc., a Japanese company that creates products and services based on its advanced robotics technologies, both companies are planning to use SAE-Level 4 autonomous driving protocol for tyre noise tests in 2019.

Currently, Bridgestone conducts tyre performance tests on its proving grounds with skilled test drivers. This new joint development with ZMP, who designed and developed the Toyota Estima Hybrid-based RoboCar Minivan, aims to have fully autonomous vehicles performing the various tyre performance tests, including the tightening tyre noise emission test.

A sample of tyre label in Europe. It is a requirement to declare the noise level of a passenger car tyre product.

In more developed markets such as Europe and Japan, regulatory bodies are lobbying for stricter noise emission from rolling tyres. Bridgestone, together with ZMP and technologies from their Robocar Minivan, hope to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the tyre tests and thereby increase the quality of the tyres.

Bridgestone also hopes to utilize the insight gained through this project in the development of tyres for self-driving vehicles and other next-generation vehicles.

If you are interested in a quieter premium touring tyre now, Bridgestone Malaysia recently introduced their new Turanza T005A premium tyre which places low emission of noise as its key priority. Learn more about this new product here.