EC tables CARS 2020 action plan
With 12 million sector-related jobs the automotive industry is vital for Europe's prosperity and job creation. The automotive industry as a whole (automotive producers, supply chain and aftermarket, including thousands of SMEs) is of strategic importance to the European economy, representing 12 million direct and indirect jobs, 4 per cent of GDP and a €90 billion trade surplus (in 2011). This industry is the biggest private investor in research and innovation, spending around €30 billion annually.
Continue ReadingSafer cars from November 1st
Authorities say that Europe has taken a major step forward in vehicle safety from 1 November 2012 as a basket of new safety requirements for new types of motor vehicles comes into force. Measures which become mandatory include safety belt reminders, safety requirements for electric vehicles, easier child seat anchorages (ISOFIX), better protection of passengers against the displacement of luggage in case of the accident and the fitment of a tyre pressure monitoring system. In addition, cars will be also equipped with gear shift indicators to help drivers save fuel and reduce CO2 emissions.
Continue ReadingLabelling has landed
After years of planning, debating and discussing, tyre labelling is finally with us. From today every new passenger car and truck tyre must be sold with a European label of some kind (like the one opposite) and those doing the selling must tell their customers about it. Of course with only small numbers of retailers prepared before today's deadline, no clear enforcement mechanism in place and with 70 per cent of consumers unaware of the new rules it is unlikely to be plain sailing for everyone's favourite sticker.
Continue Reading70% of motorists still unaware of tyre labelling
Over 70 per cent of motorists are still completely unaware of the impending tyre labelling legislation and the fuel efficiency benefits associated with it. The figure comes from a survey of 3,000 UK motorists conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by tyre Chemical supplier Lanxess. It also shows that almost all UK motorists (99%) vastly underestimate the impact tyres have on their fuel bills, and that over half still prioritise upfront cost when buying their tyres. Less than 20% take fuel consumption and long term costs into consideration.
Continue ReadingCommercial vehicle tyres and the label
The history of the EU tyre label is closely connected with the passenger car tyre segment. The criteria that led to standardised test procedures for fuel efficiency/rolling resistance, wet grip and external rolling noise primarily focused on the passenger car segment, and summer passenger car tyres in particular. Despite this, the label doesn’t just apply to C1, or passenger car tyres that are produced from 1 July 2012 (DOT 2712), but also to light commercial vehicle tyres (C2) and truck tyres (C3). Retreaded tyres, which account for a large percentage of Europe’s truck tyre market, are one of a number of exemptions to the labelling legislation.
Continue ReadingEnforcement and European tyre labelling
With just three months to go before the mandatory implementation of labelling in November 2012, there are still many questions to answer about exactly who will be enforcing the law and what the penalties will be.
Continue ReadingLabelling and truck tyres – ‘Trickery’ won’t be forgiven
No, Continental’s Herbert Mensching and Dr. Frank Walloch cannot conceive that a tyre maker could solely focus its development on label-related areas just to achieve sales through high ratings. The two men, respectively managing director sales and marketing at Continental’s Commercial Vehicle Tires unit and director of product development for commercial vehicle tyres in the EMEA region, believe a one-sided preference for specific development priorities will evaporate after around nine months at the very latest, as professional truck tyre users are competent at evaluating these products. Instead of placing a focus on criteria such as wet braking or rolling resistance, what is of key importance for commercial vehicle tyres, most likely more than in the passenger car tyre segment, is balanced product development in which other criteria – such as mileage and retreadability – will rank high on the list of priorities.
Continue ReadingTyre labelling 101
From 1 November 2012, every new tyre manufactured since July will be legally required have a tyre label. And what’s more the information contained on the label must be presented – physically or electronically – to the consumer at the point of sale. So what better place to start this month’s in-depth labelling special than to take a look at the much vaunted itself and introduce its main features and some of the discussions relating to it?
Continue ReadingThe label’s coming, but will it deliver what consumers need?
Regulation (EC) No 1222/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other essential parameters – to give our new label legislation its full and proper name – comes into force in just a few months. The EU has agreed upon a system of rating tyres using three performance parameters, and almost every new passenger car, light commercial vehicle and truck tyre (C1, C2 and C3 tyres) sold in Europe will come with this rating. But even before its mandatory implementation, murmurs of label scepticism can be heard. Generally, these comments hinge on the label’s limitations, and whether these will hinder consumers from purchasing the tyre best suited to their needs.
Continue ReadingConsultation begins on fixed-penalty fine for careless driving
Careless drivers will be targeted under new proposals announced for consultation by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning. The proposals would make fixed penalty notices available for careless driving, giving the police greater flexibility in dealing with less serious careless driving offences and freeing them from resource intensive enforcement processes. The fixed penalty will also enable the police to offer educational training as an alternative to endorsement. Drivers would still be able to appeal any decision in court.
Continue ReadingGoodyear Dunlop Truck Tyres labelled
Just days after the company announced that its passenger car tyre ranges have been successfully labelled according to the forthcoming European legislation, Goodyear Dunlop has announced that it has completed the testing of some 500 different truck tyres, covering 16 tyre types in over 55 different sizes, ensuring that these are ready to meet the rules that come into force 1 November 2012.
Continue ReadingPressure group opposes 80mph limit
A coalition of high-profile road safety and environmental organisations have today (18th May) launched a campaign protesting the government's plans to increase speed limits on motorways to 80mph.
Continue ReadingComment: No teeth in UK implementation of tyre legislation
When it comes to legislation affecting the tyre industry it is a tug of war between “rules are rules” and “rules are made to be broken.” As readers of our Tyrepress.com e-Newsletter will already know, the events of recent weeks have provided us with some bizarre examples of this kind of contrary logic in action. When Carl Steele from Lincolnshire was found guilty of causing in excess of a quarter of million pounds worth of environmental damage during a two year tyre dumping stint, you could be forgiven for thinking the justice system would force him to pay his debt to society.
Continue ReadingRhineland removes non-clean oil tyres from German market
At the end of 2011 Rhineland became the first German federal state (after Baden-Württemberg in 2010) to carry out investigations into the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in motor vehicle tyres. The results were published on 12 December 2011. Two of the 19 tyres tested exceeded the limit and show that extender oils were used which do not meet the EU requirements. The offending types of tyres were reportedly removed from the market as a result of not meeting the legal requirements.
Continue ReadingEuropean Commission publishes updated labelling regulation
Just under a year before its mandatory introduction, the European Commission has published its second regulation (1235/2011) paving the way for the implementation of tyre labelling requirements. Regulation 1222/2009 introduces labelling requirements detailing the display of information on fuel efficiency, wet grip and external rolling noise of tyres. According to the ETRMA, which has been involved in consultation on the legislation, the regulation aims to “increase the safety and the environmental and economic efficiency of road transport by promoting fuel-efficient and safe tyres with low noise levels.”
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