Michelin and four academic partners have inaugurated a joint research laboratory in Clermont-Ferrand, France, to advance tire technology, improve manufacturing processes and develop new applications for flexible composites. The I-TireLab partnership brings together Michelin, the University of Poitiers, Grenoble Alpes University, Grenoble INP – UGA and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). The project represents a total investment of approximately €4.5 million over four years.
Announced on Nov. 4, the initiative aims to strengthen collaboration between academic research and industrial applications by combining data analysis, mathematical modeling and experimentation. The laboratory will organize its work around four research areas: monitoring tire conditions, improving vehicle control systems, optimizing rubber manufacturing and exploring new uses for flexible materials.
Four research priorities
One priority is the development of real-time estimates of tire wear and grip using data from existing onboard vehicle sensors. The aim is to assess tire condition without requiring additional specialized equipment. Researchers also plan to study how tire condition and grip information can be incorporated into vehicle control systems, with the objective of optimizing braking performance and improving vehicle stability and efficiency.
A third area focuses on rubber manufacturing. Teams are developing simulation and control tools to help manufacturers plan equipment operations and optimize production settings while maintaining consistent rubber quality and reducing raw material waste and energy consumption. The fourth area will examine how flexible materials can influence air and water flows around objects. Researchers are developing control methods that can change the shape of components to modify surrounding flows.
Testing and applications
I-TireLab will give researchers access to industrial facilities, demonstrators and testing environments so they can evaluate methods under near-real-world conditions. Findings could eventually contribute to future Michelin innovation projects. One planned application involves Michelin Touch Intelligence, a tire digital twin introduced by the company in May 2026. The technology combines vehicle sensor data with Michelin models to estimate tire pressure, wear, load and grip in real time without additional sensors, and it is designed to work across vehicle brands and models.
The laboratory’s research into flexible composites could also support development of Wisamo, Michelin’s inflatable and retractable automated wingsail for ships. The system uses wind to supplement vessel propulsion and reduce fuel consumption. Its first sail is currently in the delivery phase, according to the company.
Roles and training
Philippe Jacquin, Michelin’s general manager and director of research and development, said the partnership would help translate scientific research into practical innovations involving tires, manufacturing and tire-vehicle interactions. Michelin will contribute expertise in tire simulation, materials, industrial processes and product-use data. The academic partners will provide theoretical and methodological expertise to develop and validate new approaches.
The collaboration will also support training of young researchers working across fundamental research, experimentation and industrial applications. Guillaume Mercère, director of I-TireLab, and co-directors John Martinez-Molina and Thibault Dairay said the initiative would bring researchers, engineers and young scientists together to improve mobility safety, manufacturing processes and flexible-material applications.
The partnership builds on existing collaboration between Michelin and the academic research teams, establishing a longer-term framework for converting data into knowledge and practical solutions.