Michelin and four academic partners have inaugurated a joint research laboratory, I-TireLab, aimed at advancing tire technology, improving manufacturing processes and developing new applications for flexible composites. The partners are 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, and the initiative was announced on 4 November.
According to the partners, the laboratory is designed to strengthen collaboration between academic research and industrial applications by combining data analysis, mathematical modelling and experimentation. The work is organised around four research areas: monitoring tire condition, improving vehicle control systems, optimising rubber manufacturing and exploring new applications for flexible materials.
Estimating wear and grip from existing sensors
One research priority involves developing real-time estimates of tire wear and grip using data from sensors already fitted to vehicles. The intention is to assess tire condition without requiring additional specialised equipment.
Researchers also plan to investigate how tire condition and grip information can be incorporated into vehicle control systems. The stated objective is to optimise braking performance and improve vehicle stability and efficiency.
Manufacturing tools and flow control
A third area focuses on rubber manufacturing, where teams are developing simulation and control tools intended to help manufacturers plan equipment operations and optimise 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 in order to modify the surrounding flows.
I-TireLab will give researchers access to industrial facilities, demonstrators and testing environments so that their methods can be evaluated under near-real-world conditions. The partners expect the findings could eventually contribute to future Michelin innovation projects.
Two applications named by the company
One planned application involves Michelin Touch Intelligence, a tire digital twin the company introduced 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 is designed to work across vehicle brands and models.
The laboratory's research into flexible composites could also support Wisamo, Michelin's inflatable and retractable automated wingsail for ships. The system uses wind to supplement vessel propulsion and reduce fuel consumption, and its first sail is currently in the delivery phase, according to the company.
Division of work 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 its expertise in tire simulation, materials, industrial processes and product-use data, while the academic partners will provide theoretical and methodological expertise to develop and validate new approaches. The collaboration will also support the 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 and establishes a longer-term framework for converting data into knowledge and practical solutions.