Senior Vice President & Chief Technical Officer, Goodyear Tire Rubber
Search every verified Christopher Helsel interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Chris Helsel, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Goodyear, has discussed the company's focus on integrating sensors into tires to monitor temperature, pressure, and acceleration, providing real-time data for safety and efficiency. He stated that Goodyear's first original equipment fitment with smart tires embedded with chips would be on the market before the end of 2023. Helsel also outlined the company's goal of achieving a 100 percent renewable tire by 2030, noting that supply chains for traditional materials would be disrupted. He mentioned that Goodyear has a corporate venture fund investing in mobility startups and is collaborating with companies such as Tesla, GM, and Lockheed on projects including the Artemis lunar mission. Helsel has emphasized the importance of sustainability, citing the use of soybean oil and rice husk ash silica as alternative materials, and noted that over 90 percent of tires are reclaimed at end of life. He described the challenges of non-pneumatic tires for autonomous vehicles, which replace air with thermoplastic webbing, and stated that the company aims to put a sensor in every tire by 2027. Helsel also discussed the acceleration of trends like e-commerce and connectivity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and advocated for "disruptive collaboration" between established companies and startups to address mobility and sustainability challenges.
“We are putting sensors in tires that monitor temperature, pressure, and accelerations to provide real-time information about what's happening at the contact patch, enabling new safety and efficiency features.”
“Our first original equipment fitment with smart tires embedded with chips will be on the market before the end of this year, unlocking new vehicle features and driving experiences.”
“We have a corporate venture fund investing strategically in startups that are driving mobility innovation, enabling collaboration and new business models.”
“Non-pneumatic tires face cost challenges because they must carry load with real materials instead of air, but they offer opportunities for autonomous vehicles by eliminating rapid air loss risks.”
“As CTO and head of global operations, my day involves balancing traditional tire technology, manufacturing, and new digital business models to drive innovation and efficiency.”
“We find inspiration in Elon Musk's approach to asking different questions and breaking paradigms, which has influenced our bold goals and innovation strategies.”
“We collaborate closely with Tesla, supplying tires for vehicles like the Cybertruck, and operate a proving ground to test and evolve our products for electric vehicles.”
“Electric vehicle tires face unique challenges such as additional weight, noise reduction, and rolling resistance to maximize range, leading to innovations like foam strips to absorb resonance.”
“About two-thirds of tires in large commercial fleets are retreaded, which is a significant sustainability effort that recovers most of the tire's mass and extends its life.”
“My number one call to action is to keep your tires properly inflated to extend their life, improve safety, and reduce environmental impact, even if it means selling fewer tires.”
“We're on path to a 2030 100 percent renewable tire is our goal, and if you think of the supply chains that have been in place for many years for our industry, they are all going to be disrupted with respect to those new materials.”
“We announced our 100 million dollar fund to be invested over 10 years, focused on sustainability and mobility, investing in companies that have strategic fit with what we're trying to accomplish, such as autonomous middle mile delivery and robot sidewalk delivery.”
“The non-pneumatic tire replaces air with a thermoplastic webbing, which is a true engineering challenge in terms of weight and cost, but it offers high value for autonomous vehicles by eliminating the risk of air loss.”
“From an operations perspective, converting our plants to renewable energy sources like solar is financially attractive, especially with rising energy costs, so it's both the right thing to do and makes economic sense.”
“Using soybean oil instead of petroleum oil in tires not only improves sustainability but also enhances tire performance, especially in low temperatures, providing better traction.”
Today we're talking to Chris Helsel, SVP of Global Operations and CTO at Goodyear. We discuss what the future of mobility looks ...
Chris Helsel, SVP Global Operations and Chief Technology Officer of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, discusses the ...
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Goodyear's Chief Technology Officer Chris Helsel discusses how his company is applying cutting-edge technology in innovative products and solutions that enable mobility to make life's connections easier every day.
The Virtual American Automotive Summit 2020.
In this conversation, I am speaking with Chris Helsel, SVP and Chief Technology Officer at Goodyear. We will be discussing how ...
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