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| Bob Miron |
JP:Michelin creates tire products used in numerous industries the world over. What sorts of things vary with regards to the design and production of car tires across the globe? What sorts of things are the same?
BM: Michelin tires are engineered to complement as closely as possible the vehicles they equip. Local considerations like road conditions, speed, vehicle loading practices, traffic patterns and climate, for instance, are factored by Michelin engineers in tire design.
Government agencies and technical standards organizations around the world have adopted an increasingly large number of local policies in regards to tire performance, markings, dimensioning and usage attributes that must all be complied with in their respective areas. As time goes by, sharing common products across multiple markets becomes more challenging.
What remains the same is our passion to design, test and manufacture the best tires for your vehicle.
Q:How does a tire manufacturer work with an automaker to sort out which tires will be used as original equipment on their cars?
A: The selection of tires for a specific vehicle application is a collaborative exercise between the vehicle manufacturer and Michelin, starting in the early development stages of the vehicle.
Tire specifications intended to enhance and complement the performance of the vehicle are supplied to Michelin by the OEM. Then, through an iterative development program which includes extensive testing activity, the tire is designed and refined until all of the OEM's requirements are met. Rarely do existing tires satisfy all of those requirements.
Many vehicle programs therefore require the development of specific tires. Michelin is well respected as a solution provider and innovator- and we have long standing relationships with every major OEM.
Q:How does the carmaker ultimately decide on which tire maker to use in the first place? Why choose Michelin as opposed to a competitor?
A: Developing Original Equipment tires requires particular expertise of the interaction between the tire and the vehicle, the intended character of the vehicle itself and the OEM's own internal development process. Competition is mostly focused on performance- but numerous other factors including pricing, timing and logistics must also be considered. Over time and continents, Michelin has supplied tires to every major OEM worldwide.