Presenters will detail tire-control integration for AVs, fleet service needs, rCB fillers, emissions beyond TRWP, and Euro 7 abrasion limits.
Continental will be at the Tire Technology Expo in Hanover on March 3, with a presentation on tire technologies for autonomous driving. Dr. Andreas Topp, head of platform development and industrialization for passenger-car tires at Continental, will outline how autonomous vehicles are progressing and how the company is responding.
“The future of self-driving vehicles has begun. We are developing tire technologies and products that meet the unique technical requirements of these vehicles,” said Dr. Andreas Topp. “This includes topics such as interaction with smart vehicle dynamic controls, optimized fleet operations and tailored solutions for specific use profiles.”
Continental will give three additional presentations at the conference: the use of carbon black recovered from end-of-life tires as a filler material, tire wear emissions beyond currently captured tire and road wear particles, and development challenges related to the Euro 7 regulation.
Identification of Recovered Carbon Black (rCB)
Prof. Jorge Lacayo-Pineda, a materials evaluation expert at Continental, will discuss identifying recovered carbon black (rCB) in vulcanized rubber compounds.
Recovered carbon black is produced on an industrial scale from end-of-life tires, primarily via pyrolysis, and can be reintegrated into new compounds as part of a circular-economy approach. The tire industry recognizes that rCB is not equivalent to conventional carbon black but should be regarded as a new class of filler due to its heterogeneous composition, carbon-containing residues and thermal history. Analyzing rCB in vulcanized rubber presents technological and regulatory opportunities, and Lacayo-Pineda will outline challenges and methods such as electron microscopy and molecular spectroscopy.
Tire Wear Emissions
In his presentation, Dr. Frank Schmerwitz, senior test engineer for tire wear at Continental, will address tire wear emissions beyond currently captured tire and road wear particles (TRWP). Public discussions around tire-related emissions primarily focus on TRWP, but collected particles represent only part of a tire’s measured mass loss.
Schmerwitz will take a broader view to provide a more complete understanding of emission pathways. He will examine additional pathways, including the release of nanoparticles, the presence of tire wear residue on the road surface and its degradation through exposure to atmospheric oxygen and ultraviolet radiation.
Current Development Challenges
Developing today’s tires involves balancing technical performance, customer expectations and regulatory requirements while maintaining safety standards. When a new performance parameter becomes standardized and regulated — such as tire abrasion under the Euro 7 regulation — it directly affects tire development.
Binding limits for tire abrasion and standardized measurement methods under Euro 7 provide both incentives and opportunities for innovation. In his presentation, Dr. Pavel Ignatyev, a Continental expert in the physics of rubber friction and wear, will explain the parameters that influence tire wear and how they relate to Euro 7 requirements. Using simplified models, he will illustrate the complexity of tire wear and outline remaining industry-wide challenges for further research and development.
