- The Beontag product will enable complete traceability of all new tires from Michelin
- The traceability solution ensures that all new tires will comply with upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulations (ESPR)
Beontag has launched a new partnership with tire manufacturer Michelin that will incorporate the RFID-company’s technology into millions of new commercial and passenger tires over the next two years.
The UHF embedded tag consists of a jointly designed pod and antenna using state-of-the-art chips and materials. The Beontag product will enable complete traceability of all new tires, including manufacture date and storage location, distribution, installation and replacement, refurbishment and more, for the entire life cycle of the tire, according to company officials.
“We are enormously proud to share what we have achieved so early in our partnership with Michelin,” said Suchi Srinivasan, Beontag global vice president of digital transformation. “As an innovation-led, problem-solving partner for our customers, we have worked hard to develop the necessary technology and durability capabilities in these RFID-enabled tires, making sure they are suited to the needs of modern vehicles and their drivers.”
RFID Tires
The partnership between Beontag and Michelin was first established in 2019, when the two companies began collaborating on the brand-new, HF RFID embedded tag from scratch. After years of development and reliability tests to reach the desired level of quality, the result is a durable and reliable connected tire, capable of functioning for up to one million driven kilometers, including through the retreading process common for truck tires.
Beontag’s RFID-enabled tires provide the ability to trace the entire life cycle of a tire, from its origin in one of Michelin’s manufacturing facilities worldwide, all the way through to disposal and recycling.
The Beontag and Michelin announcement is the latest marriage between tire makers and RFID companies. Bosch and Pirelli recently announced they intend to explore enhanced tire signal computing logic as potential input for enhanced vehicle dynamic controllers. Their work together will build off Pirelli Cyber Tire, which the company promotes as being the world’s first system based on tires with integrated sensors that collect data and transmit it to the vehicle to be processed in real time.
Beontag, Michelin Partnership
In May, Michelin entered an agreement with Murata to integrate a Gen 4 version RFID tag into the company’s tires. Mass production of the tags is slated this year, designed to be low cost, versatile and more sustainable. The tag is composed of a single spring antenna with improved capacity to absorb mechanical stress.
In the context of tires set to be sold in the EU market, Beontag and Michelin executives noted this traceability solution ensures that all new tires will comply with upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulations (ESPR), which mandates the need for Digital Product Passports (DPPs) and will comes into effect for tires from 2028-2030.
Economic, Environmental Solution
Laurent Couturier, RFID system designer at Michelin, stated the collaboration with Beontag has resulted in “an RFID tag that meets both the economic and environmental challenges of the future, paving the way for new mobility solutions.”
“RFID technology in tires plays a pivotal role in optimizing operations and enhancing efficiency,” said Couturier. “This system enables precise, automated tracking of each tire from production to retreading or recycling. The RFID tire-tag improves industrial performance while addressing today’s ecological imperatives.”
Beontag’s Srinivasan added, “I look forward to continuing this journey with Michelin to drive business and promote sustainability.”