The Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Company has opened its first office in the Silicon Valley to connect with automakers, suppliers and mobility-related startups working on the next generations of vehicles and service models.
The company’s initial focus areas for its Silicon Valley office are to optimise tyres and service solutions for autonomous vehicles and ride sharing fleets; to utilise tyre and vehicle data to plan for tyre replacement and service; and to connect with leaders in the automotive industry to accelerate its own innovation platforms.
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“People don’t immediately associate tyres with the digital transformation in the automotive industry,” said Chris Helsel, Goodyear’s chief technology officer. “But we see an unprecedented opportunity for tyre electronics and information systems to improve vehicle performance, safety and, ultimately, the consumer experience.”
As an innovation leader in the global tyre industry, Goodyear has nearly 120 years of tyre and vehicle expertise and knowledge, ranging from passenger vehicles and commercial trucks to aircraft and earthmovers.
The new Goodyear office is located in Sunnyvale, California, at the Plug and Play Tech Centre, the world’s largest global technology accelerator and venture fund. Goodyear is a founding member of Plug and Play’s mobility platform, launched in 2016.
“Our goal is to build smarter, connected products and services for future generations of vehicles and business models,” said Helsel. “We are open for business in the Silicon Valley to connect with the best and brightest thinkers around the future of mobility.”
Goodyear’s Silicon Valley office is an extension of the company’s global innovation network that includes innovation centres, development centres and tyre proving grounds around the world. The network also includes open innovation partnerships with numerous customers, suppliers, governments and universities.
