Europe Adopts New Tire Regulations

I neglected to mention this news when it came across my desk. On March 10, the European Parliament adopted new road safety legislation that included regulations related to tire noise, wet grip, and rolling resistance. The new rules also make tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) mandatory on new passenger vehicles starting in 2012. The bill now must be approved by the Council of Ministers, where it is expected to be adopted before the summer.

The proposals are designed to reduce CO2 emissions by improving gas mileage and keeping the tire pressure within the optimum range.

Tire Business (subscription required) has details on the new rules:

The legislation, elements of which have been in the works since 2001, will combine about 50 existing directives applicable to tires into a single regulation, enforcable in all the EC’s member states. . . . The tire regulations will take effect starting in 2012. The noise regulations call for a reduction of two to five decibels, depending on tire type. The rolling resistance requirements are designed to reduce the CO2 output of a typical car by about 3.9 grams per kilometer traveled.