Beontag teams up with Michelin to develop smart tires

Beontag, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of self-adhesives and smart tags such as RFID and NFC, has launched a new partnership with tire manufacturer Michelin that will see Beontag’s technology incorporated into millions of new commercial and passenger tires over the next two years and beyond.

The UHF embedded tag, which consists of a jointly designed pod and antenna using state-of-the-art chips and materials, will enable complete traceability of all new tires, including manufacture date and storage location, distribution, installation and replacement, refurbishment and more, for the entire life cycle of the tire.

The partnership between Beontag and Michelin was first established in 2019 when the two companies began collaborating on the brand-new HF RFID embedded tag from scratch. After years of R&D development and months of reliability tests to reach the desired level of quality, the result is an exceptionally durable and reliable connected tire, capable of functioning for up to one million driven kilometers, including through the retreading process common for truck tires.

Beontag’s RFID-enabled tires provide the ability to trace the entire life cycle of a tire, from its origin in one of Michelin’s manufacturing facilities worldwide all the way through to disposal and recycling. Importantly, in the context of tires set to be sold in the European market, this traceability technology from Beontag also ensures that all new tires will comply with upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulations (ESPR), which mandates the need for Digital Product Passports (DPPs) and will come into effect for tires from 2028-2030.

Speaking about the partnership with Michelin, Beontag Global VP of Digital Transformation Suchi Srinivasan said: 'We are enormously proud to share what we have achieved so early in our partnership with Michelin. As an innovation-led, problem-solving partner for our customers, we have worked hard to develop the necessary technology and durability capabilities in these RFID-enabled tires, making sure they are suited to the needs of modern vehicles and their drivers. I look forward to continuing this journey with Michelin to drive business and promote sustainability.'

Speaking about the new tire technology, Laurent Couturier, RFID system designer at Michelin said: 'RFID technology in tires plays a pivotal role in optimizing operations and enhancing efficiency. This system enables precise, automated tracking of each tire from production to retreading or recycling. The RFID tire-tag improves industrial performance while addressing today’s ecological imperatives.

In collaboration with Beontag, we have developed an RFID tag that meets both the economic and environmental challenges of the future, paving the way for new mobility solutions.'