Apollo Tyres, on Wednesday, inaugurated an Advanced Tyre Testing facility housed at its Global R&D Centre, Asia, in Chennai.
A press release from the tyremaker noted that the new facility will help improve upon the efficiency and effectiveness of the product development cycle for passenger vehicles and two-wheeler tyres, including the ones for electric vehicles.
The development of tyres for high-end passenger vehicles, EV-specific tyres for PV and high-end motorcycle tyres would be the products that would get directly benefitted from this facility.
Moreover, the company is also looking at reducing the expensive and time-consuming tests at different tracks worldwide by augmenting the advanced testing capabilities.
The key features of the Advanced Test facility include the custom-designed Flat-trac machine and Anechoic Chamber, which would characterise the performance of tyres’ dynamics and acoustics, leading to faster product development for both OE and replacement markets.
Additionally, the Flat-trac machine, another key component of advanced tyre testing, is used to characterise handling parameters and tyre models, measuring the force and moment (F&M) properties of tyres as per the vehicle’s improved dynamics. This machine is custom designed to address the tyre simulation needs of future vehicles, such as EVs and autonomous vehicles, the company noted.
Unlike previous versions, this machine replicates real-life situations, including emergency manoeuvres of vehicles like high slip angles and high torque ramp-up. Meanwhile, for two-wheelers, it simulates the most severe inclinations, as prevalent amongst premium motorcycle riders.
Another component of this testing facility is the High-Speed Uniformity machine combined with Anechoic Chamber. This helps simulate the tyres’ NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) properties, which are critical for vehicles, especially EVs and premium vehicles. The machine combines the study of both mechanical and acoustic comfort parameters by building different road profiles for the tyres to be tested.
Daniele Lorenzetti, Chief Technology Officer, Apollo Tyres, noted that the company has a strong focus on continuous improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of product development, and this new facility will further augment its testing capabilities for future vehicle models.
“We will be able to fine tune the performance of our products by simulating closely to the real-world conditions using this facility,” he said. This is aligned with Apollo Tyres’ 2026 vision, of which Technology is a key pillar, Lorenzetti added.
Also Read