Modern tire design must account for complex interactions between rubber compounds, tread patterns, and road surfaces across diverse operating conditions. Field measurements show that even minor changes in compound formulation can alter friction coefficients by 0.1-0.2, while tread design variations can affect wet grip performance by up to 30% under identical conditions.

The fundamental challenge lies in simultaneously optimizing rolling resistance, wet grip, and wear resistance—three properties that often work against each other in traditional tire design.

This page brings together solutions from recent research—including multi-zone tread compounds, advanced silica-based formulations, variable-depth sipe designs, and optimized steel cord configurations. These and other approaches demonstrate how manufacturers are achieving better traction performance while maintaining acceptable tire longevity and fuel efficiency.

1. AL-SIO2 METAL MARTIX COMPOSITES

sai teja - Indospace Publications, 2025

ABSTRACT Aluminium - based metal matrix composites (AMMCs) are fast emerging due to their favorable properties like light weight, low density, high specific strength, hardness, temperature and thermal shock resistance, superior wear corrosive resistance as compared ordinary alloys is another added property. In the present work samples were prepared using Al- SiO2 machining operation performed obtain required shape size for smoothing surfaces. Also Prerequisite performing tensile test, impact, hardness compression microstructure. It observed from results that significant increase of reinforcement element well produces better mechanical such impact toughness hardness. But strength showed different trend machinability selected material. Microstructure analysis done on specimens it was found weight fractions MMC phases uniformly distributed. Successful incorporation in base pure aluminium by micro structural examination Optical microscope. Upon examination, fine grains coarse Al. Similar variable compositions evaluated.

2. Vehicle Guidance System with Rut Detection and Ground Clearance Optimization

FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, 2025

Vehicle control system that assists off-road driving in rutted terrain by providing guidance to the driver. The system uses sensors to detect rut characteristics and proximity of the vehicle body to the ruts. If the body is too close to the ruts, it defines a strategy to position the vehicle at a higher ground clearance point. It then provides guidance to the driver to execute the strategy. This helps prevent getting stuck in ruts and improving traction. The driver can select an off-road assistance mode that enables this feature.

3. Vehicle Tire Rubber Matrix with Functionalized Carbon Nanoparticles for Enhanced Dispersion and Structural Properties

HAYDALE COMPOSITE SOLUTIONS LTD, 2025

Tyres for vehicles with improved grip, wear resistance, and low weight. The tyres contain a rubber matrix with functionalized carbon nanoparticles like graphene and carbon nanotubes. The functionalization improves dispersion of the carbon nanoparticles in the rubber. This provides better grip, structural and chemical properties, and abrasion resistance compared to unfunctionalized carbon nanoparticles. The functionalization involves treating the carbon nanoparticles with chemicals like nitric acid to modify their surface.

US2025122359A1-patent-drawing

4. Vehicle Control System with Tire Slip Limit Estimation and Elastic Slip State Maintenance

HONDA MOTOR CO LTD, 2025

Vehicle control system and method that accurately estimate tire slip limits and maintain tires in the elastic slip state for improved traction and stability. The system estimates tire stiffness and road friction based on vehicle dynamics like speed, acceleration, and torque. It then calculates the adhesion limit driving force for each tire. By controlling the drive source and brakes to keep tire forces below this limit, the tires operate at a constant slip angle. This prevents excessive slippage or locking that can lead to instability. The estimated tire properties also account for factors like load changes and attitude to improve accuracy.

5. Tire Tread with Chamfered Shoulder Sipes and Ground-Contact Sipe Configuration

SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD, 2025

Tire with improved braking performance and reduced noise compared to conventional tires with shoulder sipes. The tire has a tread with specific sipe configurations on the shoulder region. The sipe design involves chamfered edges on the shoulder sipes. During braking or cornering, the chamfered edges prevent the sipe edges from getting pulled inside the land region and lifting the surface, allowing better grip and braking performance compared to conventional sipes. The chamfered edges also reduce the noise generated by the sipes contacting the road. The tire also has sipes only on the ground contacting surface of the first shoulder land region between the edge and tread, which further improves braking performance by preventing lifting of the land region.

US12275278B2-patent-drawing

6. Torque Distribution System for AGV with Dynamic Front-Rear Wheel Adjustment Based on Speed and Incline

SEMES CO LTD, 2025

Optimizing traction control for a transport vehicle like an automated guided vehicle (AGV) in a goods transport system to prevent wheel slipping during acceleration, deceleration, and on inclined paths. The method involves dynamically distributing torque between the front and rear wheels based on the vehicle's speed and path incline. A motion controller generates separate torque signals for the front and rear wheels by adjusting the distribution to improve traction on the specific conditions. This allows maintaining traction and preventing wheel slippage on challenging paths and speeds.

7. Autonomous Race Car System with Real-Time Parameter Monitoring and Error-Responsive Adjustment Mechanism

CONSTRUCTOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH GENOSSENSCHAFT, CONSTRUCTOR TECHNOLOGY AG, 2025

Optimizing the performance of an autonomous race car to reduce lap times during a race. The system monitors real-time parameters like tire wear, road conditions, and weather during a race. It compares these to initial values to detect errors between planned and actual car behavior. If errors are found, the system learns deductions like insufficient friction or acceleration. It then generates corrective actions like adjusting acceleration or avoiding certain sections to improve lap times.

US12275393B2-patent-drawing

8. Pneumatic Tire Tread with Parallel Sipes Featuring Differential Depth Profile

CONTINENTAL REIFEN DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, 2025

Pneumatic vehicle tires with improved wet grip and better transmission of tractive force as the tread wears. The tires have treads with profile ribs having sipes that extend parallel to each other. The depth of the main portion of each sipe is less than the depth of the edge portion that leads into the cavity between the rib and groove. This configuration allows good wet grip as the depth of the main sipe portion reduces with wear, while still maintaining stiffness from the wider cavity portion.

US12275279B2-patent-drawing

9. Rubber Composition with Specific Diene Rubber Structure and High 1,2-Bond Content

KURARAY CO LTD, 2025

Rubber composition for tires with improved wet grip and ice grip performance. The composition contains a specific diene rubber with a weight average molecular weight of 5,000 to 50,000 and a unique structure. The rubber has a high mol % of 1,2-bonds in the butadiene units, but also contains specific structural units represented by the formula (1). This composition, when crosslinked, provides tires with enhanced wet grip and ice grip properties compared to traditional rubber compounds.

10. Tire Tread with Concave Block Faces and Variable Radial Height Distribution

COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN, 2025

Tire tread for heavy construction vehicles that improves grip, especially on muddy terrain, while also increasing wear resistance. The tread has blocks with concave contact faces and a distribution of radial heights between the inner and outer portions that allows better penetration and anchoring. The concave contact faces have at least three pairs of sides forming angles greater than 180 degrees. This shape provides better grip and traction compared to convex contact faces. The radial height of the outer penetration portion is 0.1-0.6 of the total block height.

US12275277B2-patent-drawing

11. Pneumatic Tire with Multi-Curved Outer Side Profiles for Balanced Edge-Center Contact Pressure

THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO LTD, 2025

Pneumatic tire design that improves both wet and dry steering stability without compromising one over the other. The tire has outer side profiles with multiple curved lines of different shapes between the tire edges. This reduces the difference in ground contact pressure between the edges and center. This balances wet steering benefit from better drainage with dry steering by distributing force more evenly. The inner side profile can have 1 or more curved lines.

US12275275B2-patent-drawing

12. Pneumatic Tire Tread with Dual Compound Thermal Conductivity and Specific Groove Geometry

SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD, 2025

Pneumatic tire with improved grip and durability at high speeds. The tire has a tread with at least two rubber compounds with different thermal conductivities in the ground contacting surface. This allows efficient heat dissipation during high-speed running to prevent excessive heat buildup. The tire also has specific dimensions and groove geometry to further enhance grip and durability.

13. Bending and tensile tests for mechanical characterization of polymer laminated composite with medium and high theoreti-cal volume fractions of ramie woven fabric intended to wind energy industry applications

marcelo vitor ferreira machado, felipe perisse duarte lopes, noan tonini simonassi - Editora Univates, 2025

A literature review about polymer composites reinforced with natural fibers reveals a growing academic interest in the topic over past few years. This is due, part, to satisfactory mechanical properties that these multiphase materials have presented tests. In addition, necessity use biodegradable and sustainable has increased recently. this context, lignocellulosic stand out as dispersed phase composites, which providing good strength, are low-cost widely available. Aiming deal two of nowadays greatest global challenges: reduction greenhouse gas emissions into atmosphere greater eco-friendly industry, research objective mechanically characterize epoxy matrix ramie woven fabric medium high theoretical volume fractions fiber (40%, 50%, 60%) through bending tensile tests, order provide data suitable for prior structural analysis evaluate potential application biocomposites horizontal axis wind turbine (HAWT) towers. The statistical analyses carried experimental measurements revealed promising laminated did not undergo ultraviolet condensation aging process (intact specimens).

14. Preliminary structural analysis to evaluate the application potential of epoxy composites with medium and high volume fractions of ramie woven fabric in horizontal axis wind turbine towers

marcelo vitor ferreira machado, felipe perisse duarte lopes, noan tonini simonassi - Editora Univates, 2025

A literature review about polymer composites with natural fibers as dispersed phase reveals how widely these multiphase materials have been studied in the last years due to many advantages. In context of renewable energy industry use eco-friendly their components ensure an even more competitive and greener production, this research aims evaluate potential applying epoxy medium high volume fractions ramie woven fabric horizontal axis wind turbine towers. To support study, experimentally determined bending tensile properties referred biocomposites were used some linear structural approaches analyzed. end, it was obtained a given mechanical utilization reinforced considering preliminary analysis developed.

15. Polydiene Rubbers Polymerized with Alkoxy Silyl Functionalized Comonomers

ARLANXEO DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, 2025

Polydiene rubbers with improved properties for tire applications, made by polymerizing diene monomers with functionalized comonomers containing alkoxy silyl groups. The functionalized comonomers have repeating units derived from the functionalizing comonomer. The functionalized rubber polymers have better interactions with fillers and improved tire properties compared to non-functionalized diene polymers.

16. System for Road Surface Condition Prediction Using Combined Fleet Data and Real-Time Vehicle Sensors

VOLVO TRUCK CORP, 2025

Predicting road surface operating conditions like friction for improved vehicle control and safety. It uses a combination of shared vehicle fleet data and real-time sensor readings to generate personalized friction models for individual vehicles. The shared model is created by a remote server based on sensor data from many vehicles. Each vehicle then uses the shared model along with its own readings to predict upcoming friction. This provides more accurate friction estimates compared to just using real-time sensors. The shared model enables leveraging fleet-wide experience to improve friction prediction for individual vehicles.

17. Rubber Composition with Defined SBR, EPDM, Silica, and Zinc Oxide Ratios for Tire Treads

APOLLO TYRES GLOBAL R&D BV, 2025

Rubber composition for tire treads that provides improved wet grip and rolling resistance compared to conventional rubber compositions. The composition contains specific ratios of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM), silica, and zinc oxide. The composition also has a specific styrene content in the SBR, vinyl content in the SBR, and glass transition temperature (Tg) of the SBR. Cross-linking the composition improves wet grip and maintains rolling resistance compared to cross-linking conventional rubber compositions.

18. Drive Module with Independent Rotation, Steering, and Lifting Motors for Mobility Vehicles

KIA CORP, HYUNDAI MOTOR CO, 2025

A drive module for a mobility vehicle with increased steering and traction capabilities compared to conventional wheeled vehicles. The drive module uses three independent motors to rotate, steer, and lift the wheel independently. One motor rotates the wheel, another steers it, and the third lifts it. Sensors detect the motion of each motor. This allows the wheel to move in 3D and adapt to terrain. It provides more freedom and versatility compared to traditional 2D wheeled vehicles.

19. Tire Tread with Asymmetric Sipe Widening and Overlapping Sipe Sections

SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES LTD, 2025

A tire design with improved braking performance on dry roads without compromising wet grip and noise levels. The tire has a tread with multiple circumferential grooves separating land portions. The land portions each have sipes that communicate with the circumferential grooves. The sipes have widened sections near the outer edge. One unique feature is that the widened section of the shoulder sipe overlaps the widened section of the middle sipe in the tread view. This improves rigidity while reducing noise. The shoulder sipe also has an angled section toward the outer edge. The depth of the shoulder sipe widening is less than the middle sipe widening. This asymmetry reduces edge deformation and shearing during braking.

US12269297B2-patent-drawing

20. Micronized Rubber Powder Activation via Silane and Silica Treatment for Enhanced Vulcanization and Dispersion

ATLANTIS RUBBER POWDERS BV, 2025

Upgrading micronized rubber powder (MRP) for large-scale reuse in tires by chemically activating the powder to improve performance. The activation involves treating the powder with silane during grinding to prevent sticking and using silica as a dusting agent. This functionalizes the powder surface to enhance vulcanization and dispersion in rubber compounds. The activation step involves contacting the powder with silane, silica, peroxides, or other activators. This allows using lower amounts of MRP in tire formulations compared to unactivated powder, which improves properties like tear strength, abrasion resistance, and dynamic performance.

US12269194B2-patent-drawing

21. Dynamic Friction Coefficient Assignment in Autonomous Vehicle Simulations Using Real-World Sensor Data

22. Pneumatic Tire Tread with Circumferential and Lateral Groove Dimension Relationships

23. Method for Estimating Maximum Road Friction Coefficient Using Differential Wheel Slip Generation and Compensation

24. Tire Tread with Asymmetric Land Width Ratios and Optimally Arranged Sipes

25. Autonomous Vehicle Control System Incorporating Real-Time Road Condition Constraints in Model Predictive Control

Particularly in tough circumstances like icy, rainy, or gravel roads, these advancements provide workable answers for improving traction, longevity, and general car safety. By guaranteeing that automobiles stay safe and effective in a variety of driving conditions, these technologies have the potential to establish new benchmarks for the tire industry.

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