4. Conclusion

The mechanisms that generate tire rolling resistance are intensively studied in industrial and academic circles, from the molecular to the vehicle scale, by quantifying the impact of rolling resistance levels on the energy consumption of vehicles fitted with tires. The marketing of tires is subject to a strict regulatory framework, enabling the energy efficiency of different tires to be compared.

Since the most significant part of tire life-cycle analysis is the use phase, which is itself driven by rolling resistance, major research and development efforts are needed on an ongoing basis to further reduce the rolling resistance levels of tires on the market. This work needs to be carried out both on the scale of the raw materials making up the tire, and on the scale of the tire's internal structure and tread. The technological levers lie at both micro- and macroscopic...