Michelin and four academic partners have inaugurated I-TireLab, a joint research laboratory in Clermont-Ferrand, France, aimed at advancing tire technology, improving manufacturing 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 about €4.5 million over four years and was announced on Nov. 4.
I-TireLab is intended to strengthen collaboration between academic research and industrial application by combining data analysis, mathematical modeling and experimentation. Its work is organized around four research areas: monitoring tire condition, integrating tire information into vehicle control, optimizing rubber manufacturing and exploring new uses for flexible materials.
Four research tracks
In tire monitoring, researchers plan to develop real-time estimates of tire wear and grip using data from sensors already fitted to vehicles. The aim is to assess tire condition without adding specialized equipment.
A second track will examine how information about tire condition and grip can be incorporated into vehicle control systems. The partners say the objective is to optimize braking performance and improve vehicle stability and efficiency.
The third area focuses on rubber manufacturing. Teams are developing simulation and control tools intended 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 study how flexible materials influence air and water flows around objects. Researchers are developing control methods that can change the shape of components to modify the surrounding flows.
Industrial access and planned 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, according to the company.
One planned application involves Michelin Touch Intelligence, a tire digital twin introduced by Michelin 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. It 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. Michelin says the first sail is in the delivery phase.
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 for young researchers working across fundamental research, experimentation and industrial applications.
Roles and long-term framework
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.
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.