Yokohama Rubber has developed a proprietary tyre mould design support system that combines finite element method simulation with artificial intelligence. The Japan-based manufacturer says the system, completed in April 2026, will help engineers understand how mould design factors affect tyre characteristics before physical trial production begins.
The system has been created under Yokohama Rubber’s HAICoLab concept, launched in October 2020 to support closer collaboration between human engineers and AI. The company says tyre mould design has traditionally relied on repeated prototyping, physical evaluation and the experience of senior development staff.
In practice, the new tool automatically generates multiple tyre FEM models with different mould shapes. It then calculates tyre characteristics in a virtual environment and uses the results as training data for an AI surrogate model. That model can predict the relationship between mould design factors and tyre performance much faster than repeated physical testing.
Yokohama Rubber said the system “supplements the knowledge and experience” of development staff and makes it easier for less-experienced engineers to design new moulds. The company also said it expects the tool to reduce cost, speed up development and cut reworking during new mould design.
The system applies explainable AI methods, including SHAP and Partial Dependence Plots, to show how changes in mould design influence tyre characteristics. That matters because AI tools can be difficult to trust in engineering settings unless designers can understand why a prediction has been made.
For tyre manufacturers, the benefit is not only automation. The more important change is clearer visibility of cause and effect inside the development process. That could help engineering teams set design priorities earlier, reduce unnecessary trial work and improve the handover of knowledge between experienced and newer staff.
This builds on earlier Yokohama work using AI to support tyre development. The company previously introduced a system to predict key tyre characteristics in 2021 and a separate tyre design support system using explainable AI in 2024.
The announcement fits a broader pattern of Yokohama investment in digital tyre development and advanced performance modelling. Tyre News has previously reported on Yokohama’s use of AI for tyre air-pressure checks and its theoretical model for predicting rubber wear on uneven surfaces.
Recent Tyre News coverage has also shown Yokohama strengthening its industrial tyre position through the Goodyear off-the-road acquisition and Romanian production investment. Those moves point to a company trying to combine manufacturing scale with more sophisticated product development systems.
For the tyre trade, the immediate impact will be behind the scenes rather than at retail level. However, faster mould development can influence launch timing, product consistency and the speed at which manufacturers respond to changing vehicle requirements. That is increasingly relevant as tyre makers balance conventional performance demands with EV weight, rolling resistance, durability and sustainability targets.
Tagged with: Yokohama Rubber, AI tyre design, tyre mould design, FEM simulation, explainable AI, HAICoLab, tyre development, SHAP, tyre manufacturing, tyre performance, digital engineering
Disclaimer: This content may include forward-looking statements. Views expressed are not verified or endorsed by Tyre News Media.
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