Michelin and four academic partners have inaugurated a joint research laboratory in Clermont-Ferrand, France, to work on tire technology, manufacturing methods and applications for flexible composites.
The I-TireLab partnership includes the University of Poitiers, Grenoble Alpes University, Grenoble INP – UGA and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). The partners announced the project on 4 November and said it represents an investment of about €4.5 million over four years.
The laboratory is intended to link academic research more closely with industrial use by combining data analysis, mathematical modeling and experiments. Michelin will provide expertise in tire simulation, materials, industrial processes and product-use data, while the academic teams will contribute theoretical and methodological work to develop and validate new approaches.
Four research priorities
One workstream will seek real-time estimates of tire wear and grip using data already available from vehicle sensors. The aim is to assess tire condition without adding specialized equipment.
A second area will examine how information about tire condition and grip can be used in vehicle control systems. Researchers plan to study ways to improve braking performance, stability and efficiency.
The third area covers rubber manufacturing. Teams are developing simulation and control tools that would help manufacturers plan equipment operations and choose production settings while maintaining consistent rubber quality and reducing raw-material waste and energy use.
The fourth area will study how flexible materials affect air and water flows around objects. Researchers are working on control methods that change the shape of components to alter those flows.
I-TireLab will provide access to industrial facilities, demonstrators and test environments so that methods can be evaluated under conditions close to real-world use. The partners said findings could eventually contribute to future Michelin innovation projects.
Planned applications
One application cited by the partners is Michelin Touch Intelligence, a tire digital twin introduced by Michelin in May 2026. The system 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.
Research on flexible composites could also support Wisamo, Michelin’s inflatable and retractable automated wingsail for ships. The system is designed to use wind to supplement vessel propulsion and reduce fuel consumption. Michelin said the first sail is in the delivery phase.
Philippe Jacquin, Michelin’s general manager and director of research and development, said the partnership would help turn scientific research into practical innovations in tires, manufacturing and tire-vehicle interactions.
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 laboratory will also support training for young researchers working across fundamental research, experimentation and industrial applications.
The partnership builds on earlier collaboration between Michelin and the academic teams and creates a longer-term framework for converting data into knowledge and practical solutions, according to the partners.