INTRODUCTION

Over the years, Bridgestone has introduced many new tire technologies. While each has a specific goal and result, they are all designed to make great tires even better. These technologies have addressed important features including, wet handling and traction, tire punctures, tire wear, ride comfort, noise reduction and many more. Please use the navigation in the upper left to view some of our key tire technologies.

UNI-T: ULTIMATE TIRE TECHNOLOGY

UNI-T® The Ultimate Network of Intelligent Tire Technology is a comprehensive combination of tire technologies so advanced, it takes tire performance to a higher level. From material to designs... tread patterns to tire shapes... rim fitments to tire construction.... UNI-T will do more than just change tires, it will change the way you drive. Tires created using UNI-T deliver outstanding comfort and control behind the wheel, giving drivers precise handling, outstanding wear, increased fuel efficiency, reduced noise, and a smooth, quiet ride. Once you experience driving on tires with UNI-T you'll never want to go back to anything else. UNI-T® consists of three core technologies: CO•CS®, O-Bead®, and L.L. Carbon®.

 

CO•CS®(Computer Optimized • Component System) is a computerized process that optimizes tread design, casing shape, materials and construction for maximum tire performance. Using proprietary software, our engineers are able to optimize the performance characteristics of each specific tire line. COCS works by optimizing the given tread design and tire shape through a cyclic calculation process. For example, the emphasis for an ultra-high performance tire would be maximizing wet and dry handling performance - without significantly sacrificing ride comfort.

CO•CS® has five key optimized areas and consumer benefits. Areas optimized via CO•CS depend on the targeted performance characteristics of each specific tire or tire line. Examples include the Bridgestone Potenza RE750 high performance tire, which is optimized for handling and quiet, and the Firestone Affinity LH30 touring tire, which is optimized for comfort, quiet and treadlife.

O-Bead® changes the way the tire interacts with the rim of the wheel, improving performance. There are many facets of O-Bead. Bead cable design is one of the most important. If you cut a conventional tire into cross sections, you would notice a cable that runs through the sidewall, implanted just below the lip that mounts to the rim of the wheel. This cable - known as the "bead" - helps the tire grip the wheel; strengthening and supporting the entire tire assembly. On most tires, the cable has an overlap where its two ends meet (see illustration). Because the cable is doubled at this overlapping joint, the overlap makes the entire tire assembly less round. It also creates tiny, unwanted gaps when the tire is attached to the rim of the wheel. O-Bead eliminates the overlapped joint in the bead cable by using a single, continuous strand of cable (see illustration). This creates a tire assembly that is more precisely round. A more precisely round wheel assembly improves driving on straightaways and handling stability, producing consistent control and superb steering response.

Long Link Carbon® is an improved reinforcing material that increases the wear resistance and reduces the energy loss of rubber. Almost all tires use carbon black as reinforcing material; however, L.L. Carbon is a high structure carbon than what is typically used. Conventional carbon black particles form in clusters that look like bunches of grapes. L.L. Carbon® replaces these clusters with long chains. These long chains resist wear better by dissipating cracking energy over a larger area than the grape-like cluster, thus extending tire life.