A key to Goodyear's future is working differently in the tire/vehicle development process. There are several ways to do this; one is working further upstream in the OE design process to influence functional requirements for our products. Another is to develop new elastomeric components including tires and vibration isolation products while considering the interaction with the vehicle system.

To be successful, we need to develop joint technology partnerships with companies with expertise in areas different from our own companies with strong electronics capabilities to help us develop low pressure warning systems as well as active elastomeric products.

Goodyear is pursuing this strategy in peer partnerships within the industry, with small entrepreneurial companies with unique technologies and with large automotive component and systems suppliers. For example:

• The technology development joint venture with Michelin will develop runflat tire systems.
• Our strategic alliance with SRI has included the development of ABS low pressure warning systems.
• The equity position with Phase IV Electronics gives us the electronics and sensor applications expertise for Goodyear patented low pressure warning sensors.
• Our position with Cycloid will provide unique wheel mounted air pumps for tire inflation maintenance.

Goodyear is discussing systems partnering with several automobile industry suppliers. Each has recognized the potential for the electronic integration of elastomeric products (tires and Engineered Products) in the development of future vehicle systems.

Our core expertise is the understanding of tires and molded products. Combine this with our knowledge how these products interact with the suspension, braking and steering systems and with the OEMs overall vehicle expertise, and we believe near- and long-term performance improvements can be made. This understanding will be a key component to the success of runflat solutions as well as the development of future brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire, and adaptive suspension controls.

Additionally, our long-standing relationship with the Sandia National Labs will provide advanced systems simulation capability and long-range sensor application technology required for these products.

The ideal vehicle systems technology development would be a partnership with OEMs to:

• Set functional requirements for vehicle performance targets and systems definitions further up in the vehicle design process.
• Have Goodyear provide the tire and elastomeric systems products and collaborate on the vehicle system design and simulation.
• Have sub-system supplier(s) develop the vehicle electronics integration, controls and associated hardware assemblies.

To form our group, we very selectively chose associates with diverse knowledge, strong analytical skills and vehicle systems experience. Here's our team: Under Bob Benedict, manager, systems technology development are Jack Brown, John Stearns, Saied Taheri, Joe Lettieri and Mohammad Sobhanie in Akron and Tony Parsons in Luxembourg.

The business applications development team managed by Nancy Jandrokovic consists of Brian A. Jones, Y.W. Luk, Ron Magnus, Steve Lederer and Bill Dial, all in Akron. -- Bill Hopkins