A new study on tyre abrasion by the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil Club (ADAC), supported by the FIA Foundation and FIA Safe & Sustainable Mobility Grant Programme, has been submitted to the Euro 7 consultations on tyre abrasion.

Although exhaust emissions of particulate matter have decreased in recent years, non-exhaust emissions of particulate matter from tyre wear, brakes, clutches, and road surfaces are posing an increasingly important health and environmental risk. Almost 500,000 tons of particulate matter from tyre abrasion are produced every year in the European Union. Synthetic rubber microplastics from tyres account for nearly a third of all microplastic emissions in Germany.

The ADAC tested 160 tyres in real road traffic conditions, equivalent to 15,000 kilometres of use and found significant differences between brands. The tyres were weighed before and after the test to identify the weight of the material lost as particulate matter. In addition, the abrasion pattern of the tread was analysed to model the service life of the tyre. 

Results from the tests revealed that tyre cost was not necessarily an indicator of performance and longevity, and that it is possible to produce safe tyres with low abrasion rates. However, the results also revealed that imposing a very strict abrasion limit would significantly affect the safety standards of most of the tyres (61%) that were tested. Low-budget tyres with the second-best abrasion value failed the test due to important safety concerns. It also warned that very strict limits primarily benefit more expensive brands, putting lower-income consumers at a disadvantage. The study recommends setting a limit value that allows tyres from different price categories, but with sufficient safety performance to enter the market, whilst still achieving a significant environmental benefit.

This report comes at a critical time as the new Euro 7 emission standard is currently being developed, which will include tyre particulate matter for the first time; specific abrasion requirements for new tyres for passenger cars (C1) will be introduced from 1 July 2028. It will address tyre abrasion performance by determining a standardised measurement method to quantify microplastic emissions in the environment. Representing the FIA in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Task Force on Tyre Abrasion, the ADAC has presented its study and recommendations, which have been considered in the proposal for the new legislation. 

Dr. Reinhard Kolke, ADAC e.V., Director of Test and Technical Services, said: “The ADAC is considered a pioneer in the development of an abrasion test methodology and the assessment of the environmental properties of tyres for consumer protection. With the support of the FIA Foundation, the ADAC was able to contribute this experience to the design of future abrasion legislation within the framework of the Euro 7 standard, thereby playing a key role in the future setting of limit values for tyre abrasion.”