RFID-Enabled Tires
Did you know tires can have their own "ID cards"? Recently, global tire manufacturer Michelin and smart tag company Beontag announced a deepened collaboration to launch a "smart tire" with a built-in RFID tag. This tire not only records its "life story" but also proactively complies with environmental regulations, making it a true "smart butler" for the tire industry.
Small Tag, Big Power
This tag, called RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), is only about 1x1x6 millimeters in size, about the size of a grain of rice. It's cleverly embedded inside the tire without affecting its strength or safety. Despite its small size, it's extremely durable—able to withstand the high temperatures of vulcanization during tire production, as well as the high pressure, wear, and extreme temperature differences during driving. Its lifespan covers the entire tire's lifespan and even supports tracking for up to one million kilometers.
More importantly, each tag stores unique, encrypted identity information, preventing counterfeiting and protecting user privacy; it cannot be read without authorization.
A Single "Signature" Throughout the Entire Lifecycle
With this smart ID card, every step of a tire's life, from "birth" to "retirement," is clearly recorded:
Production: Records rubber formula, production batch, vulcanization parameters, etc., enabling traceability from the source.
Warehousing and Logistics: Automated inventory checks via reading and writing equipment significantly improve efficiency and reduce errors and omissions.
Usage Period: Vehicle owners or fleet managers can access tire specifications, usage time, and wear status at any time to scientifically schedule maintenance.
Recycling Stage: Helps quickly identify materials and history, optimizes sorting, and facilitates tire "recycling."
Why Launch Now? Key Driving Force: New EU Regulations
A crucial background to this collaboration is the EU's upcoming mandatory Digital Product Passport (DPP) system. According to the EU's Sustainable Product Ecodesign Regulation, from the end of 2028 to 2030, the tire industry will gradually require every tire to carry a DPP; otherwise, it will be barred from entering the EU market.
Digital Product Profile (DPP) acts as a product's "green digital archive," requiring the recording of information throughout its entire lifecycle, from raw materials, production, transportation, use to recycling, including carbon footprint and recyclable components. RFID technology is the ideal carrier for achieving this. Michelin's collaboration with Beontag demonstrates proactive planning, both for compliance and to lead the industry towards digitalization and greening.
The Industry Trend is Here, the Future is Smarter
Currently, the tire RFID market is growing rapidly, and digital traceability has become a clear trend. Michelin possesses extensive experience in tire R&D and the global market, while Beontag excels in smart tag technology. The two companies complement each other's strengths, overcoming the challenge of integrating tags with tire manufacturing processes.
The two companies began related R&D in 2019, and the technology is now mature. They plan to deploy tens of millions of smart tires to the market within the next two years, covering passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Feedback from some pilot areas has been positive.
In the future, these smart tires will not only facilitate management and contribute to environmental protection, but may also become part of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), enabling more intelligent applications—such as directly "communicating" with vehicle systems to remind users of maintenance and even predict safety risks.
Tires, once seemingly "silent" components, are becoming able to "speak," "remember," and "trace." This is not only a technological advancement, but also a crucial step for the entire industry in its transformation towards a safer, more efficient, and more sustainable future.
