Trends in Truck Tire Traction, Noise, and Fuel Consumption

The evolution of the trucking industry has set a distinctive pattern in requirements for tire traction. Permanence of nonskid design is a desirable goal that must be achieved without compromise in the treadwear potential, and should be adopted in a form that acknowledges the importance of tire noise.

New design concepts, currently under development and in limited production, offer attractive gains in power consumption, with some compromise to other characteristics of tire performance. This paper discusses these innovations as they apply to traction, noise, and fuel economy.