European industry experts inspect Euro 7 tire test procedures

Brussels – European tire industry experts have taken part in an important workshop on tire abrasion testing, the European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers Association has reported.

The event, staged earlier this month at the Dekra test centre in France, was attended by representatives of the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organisation (ETRTO) and the EC's Joint Research Centre (JRC).

The two-day workshop focused on test methodologies, approved by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), relating to the specifications of the Euro 7 regulation*.

The process included open-road testing with a convoy of four vehicles with normal tires, according to a 5 July statement from the ETRMA.

While one vehicle was fitted with a ‘standard reference test tire’, three were equipped with ‘candidate tires’ and underwent ‘real-life’ testing.

Conditions included normal traffic and movements such as speeding, acceleration, braking, and cornering speeding, said the industry association.

Throughout the process, specific measurement devices monitored all driving conditions to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Furthermore, the comprehensive testing included regular stops for driver exchanges and different road and driving conditions.

According to ETRMA, more testing will be conducted to collect abrasion data from diverse tire sizes, patterns, and brands in the upcoming months.

The data will then be used to determine tire abrasion limits for passenger car tires (C1 tires) to be incorporated in UN Regulation No. 117 by September 2025.

Once the abrasion limits are in force, tire manufacturers will have to ensure that all the tires sold on the market are below the set limits, according to UNECE.

Where tires exceed the abrasion limits manufacturers will have to adjust their material compositions or manufacturing processes.

*The Euro 7 regulation marks the first time the EU has set a framework for limiting tire abrasion – the fourth tire characteristic to be regulated after rolling resistance, wet grip and noise (ERJ report).