The adoption of RFID technology is revolutionising tyre management across the commercial vehicle sector, enhancing traceability, efficiency, and sustainability. From manufacturing to end-of-life recycling, a new wave of RFID-based technology enables real-time tracking throughout a tyre’s lifecycle. This development improves fleet management, optimises the retreading process, and ensures compliance with evolving environmental regulations.
Industry-Wide Adoption of RFID in Truck and Bus Tyres
Leading tyre manufacturers, including Michelin, Goodyear, Bridgestone, and Continental, are embedding RFID chips into their tyres as part of a broader push towards digitalisation. Michelin has taken a leading role in this transition, committing to integrating RFID technology into all its car and truck tyres by 2023. The goal is to improve tyre management, enhance safety, and increase fleet operational efficiency.
Each RFID chip contains essential data such as the manufacturing date and location, tyre specifications, serial number, mileage and usage history, and records of previous repairs and retreading. These chips can be moulded into the tyre during production or applied later as surface labels, with the former providing greater durability. The increasing regulatory focus on safety and sustainability, combined with the need for fleet operators to manage their assets more effectively, has accelerated the industry-wide adoption of RFID technology.
Antonio Palummo, TBR Senior Engineer – Europe for Giti Tire, emphasised the transformative impact of this technology, stating: “RFID enables complete tyre tracking from cradle to grave. Currently, RFID is the only technology that guarantees tyre identification throughout its entire lifecycle. Embedded RFID cannot be removed or erased without damaging the tyre, rendering it unusable.”
Streamlining Supply Chain and Inventory Management
The integration of RFID into tyre management systems has significantly improved supply chain efficiency. RFID simplifies inventory tracking and tyre authentication by automating data collection and reducing human error. Traditional barcode scanning and manual inspections are being replaced by RFID readers, which can scan multiple tyres simultaneously. Warehouses with RFID tracking systems can automatically monitor tyre movements at entry and exit points, reducing stock discrepancies and improving logistical accuracy.
Counterfeit tyres remain a significant issue, particularly for premium brands such as Michelin and Bridgestone, but RFID is helping to combat this problem. Manufacturers and fleet operators can verify authenticity by embedding unique identifiers in each tyre, ensuring that only genuine products reach the market. This level of traceability is also proving valuable for fleet operators, who can now remotely track tyre status, monitor which tyres are in use or storage, and identify those requiring maintenance.
Michelin & Beontag: Pioneering RFID-Enabled Smart Tyres
Michelin has taken a significant step forward by partnering with Beontag, a leading global RFID and NFC smart tag provider. This collaboration is set to transform tyre lifecycle management by embedding ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID tags directly into millions of commercial and passenger tyres over the next two years.
The jointly designed RFID tag, which features a custom pod and antenna integrated with cutting-edge chip technology, provides end-to-end traceability throughout a tyre’s lifecycle. From manufacturing and distribution to installation, retreading, and eventual recycling, this innovation ensures real-time tracking and compliance with emerging environmental regulations, such as the European Union’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulations (ESPR), which mandates Digital Product Passports (DPPs) for tyres by 2028-2030.
Michelin and Beontag’s collaboration began in 2019. Extensive R&D led to an exceptionally durable and reliable RFID solution. The result is an innovative tyre capable of functioning for up to one million driven kilometres, including through the retreading process.
Suchi Srinivasan, VP of Digital Transformation at Beontag, highlighted the transformative potential of this innovation:
“We are enormously proud to share what we have achieved so early in our partnership with Michelin. We have developed the necessary technology to enhance tyre durability and ensure seamless tracking across the supply chain. This is a key step in promoting sustainability and optimising fleet operations.”
Laurent Couturier, RFID system designer at Michelin, echoed this sentiment: “RFID technology in tyres plays a pivotal role in optimising operations and enhancing efficiency. The RFID-enabled tyre 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.”
By integrating Beontag’s RFID technology into its tyres, Michelin reinforces its commitment to sustainability, efficiency, and digital transformation. The widespread adoption of smart tyres will streamline supply chain management, improve safety, enable predictive maintenance, and support a circular economy by ensuring that each tyre is properly tracked and processed at end-of-life.
Predictive Maintenance Leading to Better Retreading Outcomes
RFID is also laying the groundwork for predictive maintenance in fleets. Giti’s Palummo noted, “Predictive maintenance is one potential use case where RFID could automate fleet operations. Other benefits related to tyre digital identification can also be envisioned.”
Retreading is a crucial element of sustainable tyre management, and RFID is an invaluable tool in this process. When a truck or bus tyre is sent for retreading, the RFID chip provides a complete service history detailing the number of times the tyre has been retreaded, previous damage or repairs, and the remaining tread depth before retreading.
This data-driven approach ensures that only high-quality casings are selected for retreading, reducing the risk of failures and extending tyre life. Fleet operators can use RFID insights to optimise purchasing decisions, selecting tyre brands and models demonstrating the best retreading performance over multiple cycles. Many fleets also integrate RFID technology with their tyre management software, enabling automated retreading schedules that prevent premature disposal or excessive wear.
Palummo states, “In the future, we envision that retreaders will use automatic tyre identifiers for fast and accurate tyre handling, enabling the correct processing method and the selection of the appropriate new tread to be applied.”
Supporting End-of-Life Recycling and Sustainability
With stricter environmental regulations coming into force, RFID technology is playing a key role in tyre recycling by improving efficiency and traceability. Recycling centres equipped with RFID scanners can quickly identify and sort used tyres, distinguishing between those still suitable for retreading and those requiring full recycling. The ability to classify tyres based on material composition streamlines the recycling process, allowing for more efficient resource recovery.
Retreading automation specialists REGOM highlighted the role of RFID in ensuring compliance with new regulations, explaining: “The European Union is introducing the Digital Product Passport (DPP) to enhance transparency regarding product origins, materials, environmental impact, and disposal recommendations. RFID technology in tyres aligns with this initiative, providing a reliable traceability solution—similar to how it is already used in industries such as batteries and textiles.”
REGOM also pointed out that “the RFID technology is very promising, and we see it as the future of tyre traceability, especially with the introduction of the DPP and upcoming European regulations that will require justification of the end-of-life of each tyre individually.”
However, there are challenges in implementing RFID at scale. REGOM noted that “one challenge remains: the need for individual tyre scanning. RFID tags cannot be correctly addressed in bulk, meaning each tyre must pass through RFID antennas one at a time. To overcome this challenge, the engineering of the tyre processing line becomes crucial.” REGOM is actively developing advanced RFID antennas to facilitate more efficient tyre data capture at the recycling stage.
Standardising RFID Technology in the Tyre Industry
Standardisation is essential for RFID to be fully effective. It ensures compatibility across manufacturers, RFID readers, and fleet management systems. The Global Data Service Organisation (GDSO), founded in 2022, is working towards this goal.
Palummo explained, “The tyre industry is actively working towards standardisation through GDSO. Founded in 2022, GDSO currently has 12 tyre maker members. Giti is a full member. The organisation’s goal is to standardise, simplify, and create a unified global platform to facilitate data sharing.”
Similarly, REGOM noted, “The GDSO is responsible for standardising data accessibility across RFID-equipped tyres from various manufacturers. This ensures seamless integration and interoperability between different RFID systems across the industry.”
Leading truck manufacturers, including Volvo, Daimler, and Scania, are integrating RFID-enabled tyres into their fleet maintenance systems. At service depots, RFID gates scan truck tyres as vehicles enter and exit, automatically capturing data for maintenance planning and inventory control.
The Future of Whole-Life Tyre Tracking with RFID
The adoption of RFID technology will transform the way truck and bus fleets manage their tyres, providing a comprehensive digital footprint from manufacture to disposal. The benefits extend across the entire tyre lifecycle, from reducing downtime and improving maintenance schedules to enhancing retreading efficiency and supporting sustainable recycling efforts.
Palummo believes that RFID will play a central role in tyre digitalisation: “RFID has a significant impact, as it enables automatic tyre identification, tracking, and control. Through RFID, specific information (at the serial level) can be linked not only to tyre size and construction but also to compound ingredients or the presence of elements such as sealants or sponges. This allows for the correct determination of the tyre’s next destination, such as retreading, recycling, or reuse as a second-hand product.”
Looking ahead, REGOM envisions a fully digitised tyre tracking ecosystem, though widespread adoption will take time. “We are steadily moving toward a fully digitised tyre tracking ecosystem. However, achieving full adoption will take time, as not all manufacturers have yet committed to equipping 100% of their new tyres with RFID. Some still perceive it as an additional cost rather than an opportunity.”
As the technology continues to evolve, RFID is set to play an even greater role in shaping the future of tyre management, making fleets smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable.
