Tyres are responsible for approximately 20% of a vehicle's fuel consumption, mainly due to their rolling resistance. The tyre label will have information on three key areas: fuel efficiency, wet grip and external noise. In 2021, the EU tyre label has changed to help consumers to become better informed when buying new tyres. The labels will be presented in a standard format for all makes of tyre, so no matter whether you're looking at a Pirelli, Avon or a Sailun tyre – you will be able to compare their vital statistics to see what you're getting. Tyre labels are being introduced to give you, the buyer, comparable information so you can make a decision about what type of tyre you buy. “Consumers are more worried about wear and value, not noise,” he said.NATIONAL TYRES AND AUTOCARE'S GUIDE TO EU TYRE LABELLING Ironically, the tires equipped on new cars are generally quieter than the replacement tires purchased by motorists, said Wischhusen, the Michelin expert. Think of a speaker with a resonant pleasant voice, versus a person with a hard shrill one. The leading edges of tread elements have minute angles to further spread out the noise.Įngineers have also found that carefully designed treads produce sound across a wider frequency, which is less harsh sounding than a narrow frequency. Typically, tread elements are staggered so that different blocks of tread hit the pavement milliseconds apart from each other. So, safety, acoustics and economy involve some trade-offs.Įngineers have found that they can package a safe, economical and quiet tire by carefully designing a tire’s tread. Thus, a bald tire might be fairly quiet, but not very safe for stopping or handling. You can hear this effect in parking garages with highly polished concrete floors. Tires also make noise because the tread elements squirm under the weight of the car, slipping on the pavement. As the tire rotates, the pressurized air pops out and produces a vibration or sound. The grooves get squeezed under the weight of the vehicle, compressing the air. In selecting a quiet tire, it’s helpful to understand just how a tire makes noise.Īs a tire rotates, it traps tiny air pockets between the treads and the pavement. A well-designed knobby tire can have treads that are engineered to reduce the noise, however. If the knobs are large enough, each element slaps the pavement as it rotates, engineers say. At freeway speeds, the tires account for about 60% of the noise a typical car makes, Fundkvist said.Īggressive tread patterns do not necessarily have to be loud, Fundkvist said, though without careful engineering they can produce a signature thunking sound that can be heard for hundreds of feet ahead and even behind a pickup traveling 35 mph.Ī knobby tire generally makes more noise than a tire with small tread elements, because the knobby tire is less round. Tire acoustics are a complex science that is getting significant attention in tire research labs, according to Karl Fundkvist, a design engineer at Goodyear who specializes in acoustics.Īt low speeds, the engine and exhaust system are the primary sources of noise, but at about 35 mph tire noise comes into play. Clearly, the majority of consumers want quiet tires and the bulk of research is aimed at improving tread design to decrease noise. So, the yin and yang of tire noise is the industry push for quiet tires and the sometimes opposite push by consumers.
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