Around the world, safety, fuel efficiency and emission standards are being tightened in view of the growing scarcity of fossil fuels, climate 
change, increasing number of traffic accidents and the need to protect the environment, particularly in urban areas. To meet these challenges, the automobile industry is undergoing a lot of change towards road mobility that is safer, cost-effective and cleaner than ever before.
Michelin Tyres, the world’s second largest automotive tyre manufacturer, has been in the forefront of innovation and better mobility since inception more than 120 years ago. Having invented radial tyres in 1946, the company continues to set the bar in delivering innovative mobility solutions to its customers.
Michelin plays a key role in supporting the radialization growth in the Indian truck and bus tyre segment. It is also committed to serve its customers with world-class products and services and is a strong promoter of ‘sustainable mobility’, i.e., mobility which can be carried over the long term.
In a one-to-one interaction with MOTORINDIA, Mr. Randy Clark, Vice President, Norms & Regulations, Michelin Tyres, speaks about the company’s focus on sustainable mobility, involving fuel economy, emission standards and infrastructural changes in India.
He says: “According to the global tyre manufacturers, though having a number of strong points, the most important obstacle India faces is poor preservation of its infrastructure. All of us in the transportation industry make sure we do not spoil the roads by overloading trucks. While manufacturing truck tyres for Indian roads we cannot copy the ones used in France or the US. The tyres need to be adapted to the Indian road conditions. Our engineers have been spending quite a bit of their time in studying the roads here.”
On the company’s performance, Mr. Clark observes: “One should know what the customer expects in a particular situation. We are driven to 
find out what the Indian trucker needs. Michelin has survived for 100 years by knowing and giving what the customer needs, which might sometimes cost us more.”
In India conversion to radial tyres is picking up fast. At the same time, retreadability is considered very important for heavy trucks, which the tyre manufacturer is firmly committed to. Overloading of trucks that destroys springs, suspensions and axles needs to be reduced to the minimum. Countries all over the world are getting obsessed with fuel economy.
The growth of the truck vehicle kilometres travel (VKT) in India is expected to be seven per cent – as against five per cent in China – which is the highest in the world in the next 20 years. The challenge of attaining higher fuel economy for trucks can be met by changing tyres, adds Mr. Clark.