Michelin: Stop changing your tyres so often

Michelin has blasted European law makers currently calling for the minimum legal tread depth of tyres to be increased from 1.6mm to 3.0mm.

According to Michelin, such a radical change will provide little in terms of safety benefits while incurring extra costs for motorists and increasing carbon emissions.

Under Australian regulations, the minimum tyre tread depth is 1.5mm and Michelin says at that depth, or even lower, modern tyre technology ensures a high level of performance and grip is maintained.

In Europe, Michelin says the new law would slug motorists an extra €6.9 billion (A$10 billion) per year in unnecessary extra tyre purchases.

In terms of the environment, Michelin calculates production of the extra 128 million tyres per year would see an additional nine million tonnes of CO2 being released in the atmosphere annually.

Michelin claims there have been no studies which have established a direct link between accident levels and tyre tread depth.

Further, Michelin says as tyres wear, in dry conditions, grip levels improve and the lower levels of rolling resistance deliver reduced fuel consumption.

A worn tyre can also offer shorter stopping distances and lower noise levels.

Even in wet conditions, some worn tyres can still perform as well as some new tyres,

It might seem strange for a tyre maker to dissuade customers from regularly replacing their tyres but critics claim Michelin has an ulterior motive for buying into this debate.

In fact, Michelin is lobbying for new mandatory tests of used tyres at a tread depth of 1.6mm - both in wet and dry conditions. Opponents say such tests will favour premium tyres offered by the likes of Michelin over cheaper rivals - and prove the benefit of spending more on tyres.