A Tire Industry Perspective on Tire Rolling Resistance

1
A Tire Industry Perspective on Tire Rolling
Resistance

• Tracey Norberg
• Rubber Manufacturers Association
• Presentation to the
• California Energy Commission
• September 19, 2002

2
RMA Overview

• U.S. trade association for the rubber
  manufacturing industry
• Represents all major tire manufacturers in the
  U.S. and over 100 engineered products
  manufacturers
• Key functions
• Advocacy on government laws and regulations
• Tire safety and performance standards
• Scrap tire market and technical resources
• Technical standards for engineered products
• Tire and rubber industry statistics and
  information
• Communications on industry issues

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RMA Tire Company Members
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RMA Tire Member Presence in CA

• Approximately
• 323 company-owned stores
• 595 independent retail outlets
• 28 commercial tire service centers
• 1 retail zone office
• 6 retail district offices
• 6 tire distribution centers
• 1 North American corporate headquarters

5
RMA Environmental Advocacy

• Promote sound science
• Educate government about industry needs and
  issues
• Support environmental progress that is
  technically and economically sound
• Protect formulation and manufacturing flexibility
  and confidentiality
• Encourage opportunities for innovation
• Individual member companies also have
  environmental goals and policies

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Tire Industry Accomplishments

• Lower rolling resistance tires
• Reduction in quantity of raw materials used to
  make tires
• Increased average tire life
• Retreading 16.2 million tires retreaded in U.S.
  in 2001
• Recycled content in new tires

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Average Tire Life 1980 2001
2001 43,000 miles
1981 28,000 miles
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Tire Industry Design Flexibility Needs

• Dynamic industry new and evolving products
  demand new materials and rubber compounds
• Specialty Products
• Emerging Technologies and Trends
• Recycled content in tires
• Low profile/larger diameter tires for passenger
  tire applications
• Globalization of industry
• Emerging global technical and environmental
  regulations affecting tire content, performance
  and testing
• Need to be able to manufacture tires for multiple
  markets

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TREAD Act(Transportation Recall Enhancement,
Accountability and Documentation Act)

• U.S. law passed November 1, 2000
• Congressional response to August 2000 tire recall
• Mandates 12 separate NHTSA rulemakings
• Impacts yet to be anticipated fully, since some
  regulations still in development
• Key rulemakings with potential to affect tire
  construction and performance

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Tire Testing

• NHTSA Proposed rule (3/6/02)
• Updated tests for high speed and endurance
• New tests for road hazard, bead unseating, low
  inflation and effects of tire aging
• Proposal would set overly stringent standards
• Current tires are safe new tests would require
  over-engineered tires
• Could require dramatic changes in tire
  construction and performance
• Final rule expected Fall 2002

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Tire Pressure Monitoring System

• NHTSA final rule (5/30/02)
• Mandates tire pressure monitoring systems on all
  new cars and light trucks starting with 2004
  model year
• System will notify drivers when a tires
  inflation pressure is 25 or 30 below placard
  pressure
• RMA concerned that this will allow some tires to
  operate at inflation pressures that are
  insufficient to carry the vehicle load
• RMA petitioned NHTSA to adopt a reserve pressure
  standard

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Tire Design Factors

• Tire design involves balancing among a complex
  list of tire performance criteria including

Load Ride and handling
Strength Noise
Endurance Rolling resistance
Traction Temperature resistance
Bead unseating Tread wear and tire life
Speed rating Mass Recycled content in tires
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Tire Design Factors and Trade-Offs

• Diagram is illustrative of trade-offs does not
  represent any specific tires
• Tires cannot be designed for maximum performance
  in all areas involves trade-offs to meet
  customer needs

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Pressure Effects on Fuel Economy
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Inflation Sensitivity Vs. Rolling Resistance
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Pressure Effects on Tire Wear Performance
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Pressure Effects on Handling Performance
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Be Tire Smart Play Your PART

• Pressure, Alignment, Rotation, Tread
• Industry consumer education campaign on proper
  tire care and safety
• Proper tire care maximizes safety, performance,
  fuel economy and tire wear
• Under inflation is a tires 1 enemy
• RMA survey research found that nearly 90 of
  motorists incorrectly check tire pressure

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Be Tire Smart Play Your PART

• Goals
• Communicate tire safety information to policy
  makers, media the public
• Establish key partnerships to enhance message
  delivery of RMA tire safety program
• Raise consumer awareness of the importance of
  proper tire care and safety
• 2003 regional focus on West CA, OR, WA

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RMA Summary

• Must view rolling resistance in context of all
  environmental, safety and performance parameters
• Must recognize trade-offs and limitations in tire
  design (performance, tire life, cost, etc.)
• Maintaining proper tire inflation pressure will
  have greatest impact on fuel economy