News - 2025

Tokyo (April 9, 2025) - Bridgestone Corporation today announced that its lunar rover tires have been awarded the "Tire Concept of the Year" in the "Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence 2025", sponsored by the tire industry magazine Tire Technology International, published by UKi Media & Events. This award recognizes innovative and cutting-edge concept designs.

This honor reflects the recognition received from tire industry and academic specialists for Bridgestone's creative tire development for empowering space mobility from the ground up under extreme environment unlike any surface that has ever been experienced on Earth.

Award ceremony at Tire Technology Expo 2025^*1 in Germany (attended by Simone Rando, head of Consumer Tire Development at European subsidiary Bridgestone Europe NV/SA)

Bridgestone's lunar rover tires utilize the technologies developed for the Company's nextgeneration tire "AirFree" combined with a structure of thin metal spokes^*2 designed to deliver the ability to traverse and durability required for mobility on the lunar surface. This structure is expected to improve the ability for vehicles to traverse the moon's surface, which is covered with fine sand called regolith, by allowing tires to flexibly change shape while maintaining the durability needed to withstand the extreme conditions presented by the lunar surface. Those conditions include exposure to the vacuum of space, intense temperature differences, and cosmic ray radiation. Moreover, the tires are expected to absorb impacts from collisions with rocks or other obstacles and continue driving. This high ability to traverse and durability will be used as the foundation for Bridgestone's journey to support safety, peace of mind, the challenge of humanity in lunar development from the ground up.

Concept model of Bridgestone lunar rover tire

In line with Bridgestone's fundamental principle of "Tires carry life", the company aims to accelerate its co-creation initiatives by showcasing the challenge and pursuit of excellence through the development of lunar rover tires, starting in 2019. Through this project, we aim to become essential to the future of mobility by taking on the challenge of the new "extreme" environment of human activity, that is the surface of the moon.

By supporting space mobility through lunar rover tire development, Bridgestone strives to achieve the corporate commitment of "Extension: Committed to nonstop mobility and innovation that keeps people and the world moving ahead" described in its "Bridgestone E8 Commitment." ^*3

1. First held in 2001, Tire Technology Expo is one of the world's foremost tire technology exhibitions. This European-based exhibition garners attention as a venue for tire and material manufacturers, research institutions, and other organizations around the world to announce the successes of their initiatives.
   https://www.tiretechnology-expo.com/en/index.php
2. Structures that connect the tread segments to the wheels support the weight of a vehicle while absorbing shocks.
3. The Bridgestone Group established its corporate commitment, the "Bridgestone E8 Commitment," to help it realize its vision: "Toward 2050, Bridgestone continues to provide social value and customer value as a sustainable solutions company." This commitment will serve as the Group's axis to drive management while earning the trust of future generations. The "Bridgestone E8 Commitment" consists of eight uniquely Bridgestone values starting with the letter "E" (Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease, and Empowerment) that the Group will commit to creating through distinctly Bridgestone purposes and processes, together with employees, society, partners, and customers to help realize a sustainable society.