Smart Tires

Bridgestone has built a large body of smart tire work, which makes it a major presence in the field. At the center of that work is a sizable group of strong inventions. The company keeps extending its main ideas with new filings, which shows it plans for the long term.

Continental puts a high share of its revenue back into research, so new technology drives how it competes. Its smart tire ideas tend to win protection with few setbacks, which points to careful preparation. Continental also grows by buying other businesses, which brings outside know-how in-house.

Goodyear draws sturdy boundaries around its smart tire technology, so it is clear what the company owns. That gives it firm footing in licensing and other business talks. Its research budget has grown in recent years, which signals that Goodyear is building up its technical strength.

Michelin protects its smart tire inventions in many countries, which shows it sees value in them beyond one market. That protection has years left to run, so the company has time to benefit from it. Other inventors pick up its work soon after it appears, which means Michelin is working on ideas the field cares about now.

Pirelli’s smart tire portfolio is compact, and the company spends real money protecting it. Each invention in it is about as strong as the next. Pirelli surrounds its core ideas with related filings, which leaves room to adjust its coverage as the market changes.

Sumitomo Rubber has been making acquisitions, which widens the reach of its business. It seeks protection abroad for much of its work in smart tires, so it keeps its options open in other markets. A good share of that work is of high quality.

Toyo Tire has stepped up its research spending in a big way over the past few years. Its sales have climbed over the same stretch, which marks a company on the rise. Later work in the field has also drawn on some of its inventions.

Yokohama Rubber’s sales have grown at a fast pace, and that growth puts solid backing behind its smart tire efforts. The company’s technology has an active deal history, a sign the market sees it as worth owning. Some of its earlier inventions limit what others can claim, which lets Yokohama help shape what competitors build.