Project STEER: Improving the EU Tyre Noise Label and its impact on European Roads

Abstract

Tyre/road noise is the dominant component of overall vehicle noise at medium and high speeds and for cars even at low speeds. Consequently, road traffic noise can be reduced with the proliferation of quieter tyres. One way to achieve this is to give the tyre noise label greater attention among tyre and transportation consumers. Hence, the STEER project has evaluated the relevance and performance of the noise part of the European tyre label, looking at how it works in practice, analyzing its uncertainties and suggesting how it can be improved. Its main finding is that the uncertainties in the measurement of noise level for the label are too high to be acceptable. This paper focusses on the solutions offered by STEER for an improved tyre label. With four main improvements, the overall uncertainty of the current procedure can be halved. A few possible future strategies to increase the market share of quieter tyres have been analyzed and their effects quantified. If the tyre noise label is improved and the market share of quieter tyres can be increased as project STEER proposes, area-wide reductions of up to 3 dB in road traffic noise emissions compared to the present situation are possible.

The EU Tyre Noise Label: The problem with measuring the noise level of only a few of all tyre variants

“…Currently the uncertainty contribution of tyre properties was calculated in STEER to be between 0.59 and 1.2 dB, but the proposal based on this study would reduce that to only 0.13 dB [4]. Together with improvements in the ISO test track specifications or calibrations, the total uncertainty of the noise levels in the labelling system can become halved [3]. This will make the labelling system much more reliable and useful for the customers and eliminate the worst flaws in the current system.…”

“…One reason for this, the authors believe it is the dominating reason, may be the effect of the test track surface (the surface according to ISO 10844). In [2] and [3] it is shown that there may be 3-4 dB of difference in the noise properties of ISO surfaces despite they meet the standard. In the case in Figure 4, it may be that the LingLong tyres have been tested on an unusually "noisy" test track.…”

“…This paper focuses on the noise property of the label. This has been studied in a special project named STEER, with the main purpose to analyze and improve the label, which is reported in another paper at this conference [3]. The STEER project made an extensive analysis of the uncertainties in the label value both in its present state and after implementing all improvements suggested by STEER.…”