As the Smithers Rapra Tire Conference (Traction Summit) and the co-located Carbon Black World events approach, Brent Gruber, Global Automotive Practice Senior Director at JD Power which is an American-based global marketing information services, provided some exclusive insight into what he thinks are some of the most important things impacting the tyre, rubber and automotive industry.
Gruber’s role in JD Power allows him to represent the consumer view and then translate that into actionable intelligence for the industry. He said that the automotive industry is seeing a rise in consumer interest for safety related features and technologies. He notes we have to take in the context of the current state of affairs to look at the future. The automotive industry is at a point where the technology is rapidly advancing the overall product. With the introduction and acceptance of autonomous vehicles, the automobile will change dramatically.
This rise in consumer interest for safety and the related features and technologies mean that consumers have an understanding of the important role that tyres play in their vehicle’s safety. This means that as the focus on safety increases, the focus on tyres will also increase.
According to Gruber, in order to maximize fuel efficiency as the date for CAFÉ requirements nears, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are leveraging low rolling resistance tyresat a greater rate. Tyre manufacturers will also face the challenge of meeting these demands but without sacrificing any of the tyres safety related performance, like wet braking, as the push to optimize fuel efficient tires increases.
He also advises to ask tyre manufacturers about how they balance safety and rolling resistance concerns in the great panel discussion on Tire Innovation, which will feature Cooper Tire, Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli, and Hankook.
He also said that he is most excited to see the way consumers will interact with and utilize their vehicles in the future since those will be far different than today’s vehicles. He is also eager to see how these advancements will radically change the industry as we know it.
Gruber will present on the Influence of Technology on the Future of Automobiles and Drivers at Traction Summit 2016.
Source: Traction Summit