Continue innovating next-generation mobility technology

• Challenges
• Our policy
• Our goal
• Responsible executive (as of April 2023)
• Action promotion system (as of April 2023)
• Grievance mechanism
• Discovery Channel× TOYO TIRES Technology
• Creating recycling technologies for products and raw materials
• Supporting safe driving (improving safety awareness through data)
• Enforcing intellectual property strategy

Challenges

• Developing products, materials and technology for a society of next-generation mobility
• Creating recycling technologies for products and raw materials
• Innovating low-impact alternatives to substances of concern (eliminating microplastics, etc.)
• Supporting safe driving (improving safety awareness through data)
• Enforcing intellectual property strategy

Relevant stakeholders

• Direct: Customers (consumers), suppliers, employees, research bodies
• Indirect: Shareholders and investors, creditors, local communities, NGOs, industry groups

Our policy

The Toyo Tire Group believes that the value we provide through our products and services must support the evolution of mobility required for a new age. We will continue to challenge technological innovation to help build a society that exists in harmony with the environment and supports safe driving.

Our goal

Our goal is to increase the ratio of sustainable materials^*1 to 40% by 2030 and 100% by 2050.

• *1 Sustainable materials are defined by Toyo Tire as recycled and renewable raw materials.

Responsible executive (as of April 2023)

Director, Corporate Officer and Vice President of R&D Headquarters

Action promotion system (as of April 2023)

R&D Headquarters is responsible for promoting initiatives in this area. The Technology Committee oversees all initiatives and reports on progress to the Sustainability Committee.

Grievance mechanism

• Reporting hotline (whistle-blowing system): For executives, employees and suppliers
• Customer Relations Department: For customers (consumers) and local communities
• Online inquiry form: For customers (consumers), shareholders and investors, and NGOs

Discovery Channel × TOYO TIRES Technology

• R&D / TECHNOLOGY
• Discovery Channel × TOYO TIRES Technology

Activities: Creating recycling technologies for products and raw materials

As a global manufacturer, we consider it our mission to contribute to the transition from a linear economy to a circular economy. We conduct R&D on materials with the goal of increasing the ratio of sustainable materials used in our products to 40% by 2030 and 100% by 2050. For example, by 2025, we plan to gradually launch products made of wear-resistant materials as well as recycled raw materials, such as recycled rubber and recovered carbon black from used tires. We are also developing technologies to reduce our use of petroleum-based materials, which have serious impacts on climate change, and to increase our use of biopolymers and renewable raw materials with smaller impacts.

Activities: Supporting safe driving (improving safety awareness through data)

We have been developing sensing technologies that collect various types of information from tires, which are the sole contact points with the road surface when driving a vehicle. The concept involves innovating and creating added value by using the tire itself as an information acquisition device. Sensors attached to the tires detect various data, which are then processed to derive the required tire performance limits. These sensing technologies make it possible to determine through data and visualization whether the tire force^*2 in the running tires is within the performance range required for the road conditions. We are conducting pilot studies on public roads and car tracks, and working on its development as part of the necessary safety system for autonomous driving.

*2 Tire force is a term assigned by Toyo Tire Corporation that refers to actual tire performance as estimated from information input from the tire, such as air pressure, temperature, road surface distinction, load, wear and any detected. We developed an app to display tire force in real time to enable visual checking by the driver.

Activities: Enforcing intellectual property strategy

We are continuously developing technological innovations and products that help work towards a society that is environmentally sustainable and supports safe driving. We believe that it is only when these new technologies and products are delivered to our customers and are finally used that they first transform into social value. We develop recycled and renewable raw materials for sustainability, as well as rubber materials that achieve low fuel consumption. We also acquire intellectual property rights for these technologies so that our customers can use our products with peace of mind, backed by our technology. Furthermore, we believe that our ongoing efforts to enforce our intellectual property will help us secure our presence in a society of next generation of mobility.