The test parameters were created by a 33-member panel of representatives from tire companies, auto industry officials and government representatives. The Aged Tire Durability Task Group was formed in 2002 to develop a “scientifically valid” tire durability testing system. The group’s report was issued Dec. 12, with a final report due in March 2007.
According to a Detroit News report, the NHTSA testing scheme “likely will involve subjecting a tire to high temperatures up to 150°F for 8 or 10 weeks in a high oxygen environment." In addition, the group may propose a separate durability test in which tires would run at high speeds for more than 30 consecutive hours.