Taiwan's first world-class "Tire Efficiency and Performance Testing Laboratory" has been inaugurated by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) at the Automotive Research & Testing Center (ARTC).   

Dignitaries attending the inauguration ceremony have expressed their high expectations of this advanced tire testing laboratory, which is expected play a significant role in elevating the overall global presence and competitiveness of Taiwan's emerging energy-efficient tire industry through the provision of cutting-edge R&D support and internationally-accredited testing, validation and certification services. The initiative aims to assist Taiwan’s industry to develop energy efficient tires that offer high levels of safety, comfort and energy efficiency, while contributing towards a more sustainable development of the planet.   

Taiwan's tire industry, worth NT$34 billion annually (of which export amount to NT $20 billion), is expected to grow at a high pace as the global demand for energy efficient tires continue to increase. Therefore, the new tire testing lab will prove its worth by offering Taiwan’s industry a faster and more cost-effective development path, and also helping the industry to maximize the critical time-to-market advantages. The testing lab is also expected to support the implementation of the national tire energy-efficiency directive, and potentially save up to 160,000,000 liters of fuel plus a reduction of 370,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually (based on a 10,000,000-tires qualification basis). Helping the industry contribute towards the “Taiwan’s pathway towards Net-Zero in 2050.”  

Shen Jong-chin, Senior Advisor to the President of Taiwan R.O.C., emphasizes the importance of utilizing this newly established laboratory to provide localized T&D support and testing services, thereby reducing both costs and time of certification in order to boost industry competitiveness. He also emphasizes the importance of having a comprehensive regulatory guideline in place to ensure that all final products meet the required safety standards and performance expectations.   

BSMI has long been committed in the establishment and governance of national standards for product testing, validation and certification, while the ARTC fully commits itself to the R&D of automotive and transportation industry related technologies, the improvement of product design and manufacturing quality and provision of internationally-accredited testing and certification services, as well as assisting the government in stipulating and managing various industry regulations and quality standards.