Bridgestone bringing sustainability vision to US technology show

Las Vegas, Nevada – Bridgestone Corp. is showcasing a host of sustainable products and its vision for new mobility at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to be held in Las Vegas 5-8 Jan 2023.

Among technologies to be highlighted at the event, will be Bridgestone’s guayule natural rubber production technology, which is sourced from desert shrubs in the arid regions of the US and Mexico.

Furthermore, Bridgestone said it will present its “Evertire initiative” which pursues co-developing tire recycling technologies with partners.

One example of the technologies, said the Japanese tire maker, is the bioprocessing of end-of-life tires through a fermentation process.

The materials resulting from this process are fit for re-use in the manufacturing of new tires.

Also on display will be the Bridgestone “smart corner solution”, which is claimed to enhance performance and comfort in electric and autonomous vehicles through connected tires and air springs.

The system combines Bridgestone lightweight Enliten tires and Firestone Airide – previously Firestone Industrial Products – air springs for electric and autonomous vehicle applications.

The technology uses embedded, cloud-connected sensors in both the tires and air springs, enabling the delivery of “real-time and predictive insights” that can improve safety, efficiency and productivity.

According to Bridgestone, the connected air springs will adapt to dynamic loads and enable active suspension systems to further isolate noise, vibration and harshness.
The air springs also enable “proactive vehicle ride-height adjustment” to enhance aerodynamic efficiency and protect underfloor components in urban and off-road environments.

Both the Enliten EV concept tire and the Firestone Airide concept EV air spring feature integrated sensors that collect air pressure, temperature and accelerometer data.

The data can then be analysed by Bridgestone analytics technology to inform native vehicle systems with real-time estimations of corner loading, road surface conditions and the performance capabilities of the tire and spring.
Bridgestone will also highlight a “digital concierge experience” for personal and fleet vehicle management at the show.

The fleet care solution, said the manufacturer, integrates into vehicle systems to gather data for routine maintenance, service needs and tire wear predictions.

The data is interpreted to show the status of each vehicle's needs in advance and can provide service options.

The system is also connected to a network of service providers and allows the vehicle owner to choose from a selection of aftercare retailers.