The Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Company has announced it is beginning a strategic relationship with TuSimple, a global autonomous trucking technology company, to provide tyres and tyre management solutions to TuSimple's Autonomous Freight Network (AFN).

As part of this collaboration, Goodyear will provide products and repair services to enhance the safety and operation of autonomous trucks. Additionally, Goodyear and TuSimple will conduct studies designed to understand how autonomous trucks and tyres can help better predict maintenance, understand tyre longevity and reduce the carbon impact of fleets.

Collected data from the study will also deliver insights into the difference between an autonomous and human driver with respect to the tyres.

"With our leadership in products, fleet support and advanced innovations, Goodyear is applying knowledge to help deliver performance and safety with autonomous vehicles," said Erin Spring, Goodyear's Director of New Ventures.

TuSimple launched the AFN in July with the goal to provide reliable low-cost freight transportation throughout the United States through the use of Level 4 autonomous trucks.

"Autonomous trucks offer game-changing advantages for both shippers and fleets," said Robert Brown, Senior Director External Affairs, TuSimple. "One of the most powerful advantages is the increased capacity, which comes as a result of the fact autonomous trucks can operate nearly continuously, and with this dramatic increase in truck utilisations comes the need to better understand predictive maintenance requirements."