The reduction of tire wear should be driven forward in the industry with new technologies, research projects, and collaborations within the tire manufacturer Continental. According to a current ADAC evaluation of 160 tested products, Continental tires emit around eleven percent less wear than the average of comparable tires.
Project Olrap
A central component of the research is the Olrap project („Online analysis of airborne tire wear particles during formation and differentiation from particles of other origin“), which is funded by the Lower
Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture. Among other things, a specially equipped test vehicle is used that collects tire wear behind the driven wheels with the help of a vacuum cleaner. In addition, particle measurement devices from the Technical University of Braunschweig provide time-resolved data on the size, quantity, and structure of the wear particles.
The insights gained are directly incorporated into tire development. The results also support preparation for upcoming regulations such as the Euro-7 standard, which, starting in 2028, will
for the first time set limits for tire wear in the EU. Matthias Haufe, Head of Materials Development and Industrialization of Continental's tire division, explains:
„The data enable more targeted optimization of tire designs and rubber compounds — without compromising safety and performance.”
In addition, Continental has been involved for years in various research projects on tire wear. This includes co-chairing the Tire Industry Project (TIP) and participation in the RAU project (“Tire wear in the environment”), which has developed filtration technologies
to reduce particles in rainwater.
Tire wear is unavoidable
Despite all measures, a certain amount of tire wear remains unavoidable, as grip and safety of the tire rely on friction. Studies show that driving behavior and road conditions have a greater influence on wear than tire design. Continental therefore relies on targeted improvements of the tire line, for example with the EcoContact-6 tires, which reduce wear per kilometer compared with the previous model and at the same time increase service life. (Source:
