Bridgestone EMIA, a global leader in tyres and sustainable mobility solutions, demonstrated its commitment to shaping the future of sustainable mobility with a series of engaging sessions at Automechanika Dubai 2023. The prestigious automotive event, which was held recently united industry leaders and experts to discuss and explore the evolving landscape of the automotive and service sectors.

Gurhan Cevikel, Head of Marketing MEA at Bridgestone, gave an informative keynote presentation titled ‘Shaping a Sustainable Future of Mobility,’ which gave attendees valuable insights into the company's vision and commitment towards sustainable mobility solutions. Bridgestone has consistently prioritised sustainable operations and is a strong proponent of green mobility around the world with innovation at its core to remain competitive.

Likewise, Gaurav Malhotra, Head of Consumer - PBU Middle East and Africa at Bridgestone EMIA, took centre stage as a panellist in the session titled 'Driving Forward: Navigating the Transforming Automotive Aftermarket Landscape.' The panel discussion was a lively evaluation of a wide range of subjects, including technological disruption, customer-centricity, sustainability, and supply chain optimisation. Malhotra's participation underlined the company’s long-term goals of advancing sustainability in the automotive aftermarket sector, while embracing modern technological advancements.

The company’s participation in the prestigious automotive event was even more significant as Bridgestone became the lead sponsor of the Automechanika Awards Dubai 2023. The inaugural event honoured and recognised exceptional individuals and high-achieving businesses that have had a significant impact on the MENA region's automotive aftermarket and service sectors.

Jacques Fourie, Vice President and Managing Director of Bridgestone Middle East and Africa, said: "We are delighted to have participated in Automechanika Dubai 2023, where we had the opportunity to engage with industry leaders and other professionals from the automotive sector. Our participation in keynote addresses and panel discussions is a clear representation of the company's commitment to shaping the future of mobility and advancing sustainable solutions. We also took great pride in sponsoring the Automechanika Awards, which recognise and honour excellence within the automotive aftermarket and service industries.”

“We are fully committed to being a key leader in driving innovation and transformative sustainable solutions, especially as we anticipate the upcoming COP28 Conference this year. Our participation in Automechanika Dubai 2023, which is influential and also consistent with Bridgestone's E8 Commitment, is a significant step towards our vision of becoming a global leader in cutting-edge and sustainable mobility solutions,” Jacques added.

Catherine Isaac, Head of Human Resources MEA at Bridgestone EMIA, also participated in a panel discussion titled 'Accelerating Change: Empowering Women in the Automotive Industry.' In addition to recognising the significant contributions women have made to the automotive industry, the session celebrated the accomplishments and initiatives that have supported and empowered women in the sector. The session also emphasised Bridgestone's commitment to diversity and inclusion, positioning the company as a dynamic incubator for talented professionals.

Bridgestone's participation in Automechanika Dubai 2023 left an enduring mark and cemented its status as an innovator in the automotive sector. The company, with its dedication to empowerment, innovation, and sustainability, is positioned to spur growth and pave the way for a cleaner future for mobility.

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During the event, Anand Hegde, Head of Commercial Tyres, Bridgestone Middle East and Africa FZE delivered a presentation highlighting Bridgestone’s transition from a Tyre producer to Mobility solutions provider to cater to the needs of the ever-evolving market.

Anand Hegde, said: “At Bridgestone we are constantly innovating to provide Fleets not just great Tyres to meet every application but also a suite of Sustainable solutions to cut costs and improve safety using advanced Tyre technology, Telematics and Digital tools.”

Stefano Sanchini, Regional Managing Director, Bridgestone Middle East and Africa, said: “Through events like this, we aim to educate fleet owners, operators, and other industry personnel regarding the significance of improving safety measures in the industry. We, at Bridgestone, are committed to providing high-quality products and services and spreading awareness within the community, to ensure maximum road safety. The Truck Safety Event provided an effective platform for us to highlight the significant initiatives and best practices to ensure road safety as well as to address the difficulties we encounter while creating several strategies. We believe that by supporting such initiatives and investing in innovative technologies, we are able to make notable contributions towards the global efforts.”

During the participation in the event, Bridgestone showcased its holistic mobility solutions which include smart sensing tires that capture and transmit critical data, advanced data analytics that can predict and prevent maintenance issues using data from the tire, and Webfleet Solutions, a complete fleet management tool which can track vehicles, reduce costs and boost productivity, along with other service platforms.

In addition, Bridgestone shed light on the relevance of regular tyre maintenance, how tyre quality can have an impact on fuel consumption and emissions, as well as how the performance and ride comfort of the drivers on roads are affected by the inflation pressure, along with other key points relating to the sector.

The event was cosponsored by Bridgestone in line with its E8 Commitment, especially focusing on two of its pledges, including ‘Ease: Committed to bringing comfort and peace of mind to mobility life’ and ‘Empowerment: Committed to contributing to a society that ensures accessibility and dignity for all’. Following its commitment, the company also conducted two truck safety campaigns through which it rewarded and educated 150 truck drivers and checked 640 truck tyres.

In addition to the presentation, the event also included a panel discussion, which highlighted the emerging sustainability aspects of the industry, its current status and expected future trends. The renowned speakers at the panel included Olaf Petersen, General Manager at Daimler Truck AG Commercial Vehicles MENA FZE; Taher El Shall, Head of Sales - Middle East of MiX Telematics; Karl W. Feilder, Founder of Neutral Fuels Holdings Ltd and Sridhar Srinivasalu, Group HSEQ and Sustainability Manager of Tristar Group.

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The rapid industrialisation and urbanisation worldwide have brought about major challenges to urban mobility. In the Middle East, the scene is no different with urban mobility concerns continuing to be at the core of regional transport and infrastructure development discussions and policies. With the region steadily moving towards its vision of sustainable and connected cities, developing a holistic model for mobility enhancement has become even more imperative.

Some countries in the region, particularly the Gulf states, have implemented multi-faceted transportation and mobility management strategies. Relevant policies are fundamental, especially as 67 per cent of the world’s population is forecasted to live in cities by 2050.

Part of the approaches in the GCC is heavy investments in and continuous modernisation and expansion of roads and public transport networks, which are being supervised by transport authorities with combined planning, investment, and regulation roles.

This tactic has made a huge difference in easing traffic congestion, connecting different parts of the country However expanding infrastructure capacity is not going to be a sustainable move in the long run amidst the population boom and exponential rise in the number of registered vehicles in this part of the world. In the UAE, approximately three million cars plied its roads as per the estimate of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Status Report on Road Safety in 2018. Recent research also revealed that Dubai has one of the highest ratios of residents to cars globally.

State-of-the-art transport solutions

Out-of-the-box and sustainable solutions are but necessary. Investments in new mobility modes have grown over the years, with the GCC region taking the lead in rolling out advanced approaches to transform their transportation networks. The call for innovation also continues to mount with the emergence of what is now known as the sharing economy. We have, thus, witnessed the rising prominence of e-hailing, car sharing, and other digitally enabled transport methods with great impact on mobility.

Dubai serves as a role model in terms of implementing state-of-the-art and innovative urban mobility systems as evidenced by its much-reported testing of hyperloop, self-driving vehicle, and taxi drone projects for future deployments. The emirate embarks on ambitious initiatives exploring the future of urban mobility to help accelerate its bid to become the globe’s smartest city. Across the GCC, more large-scale and forward-looking initiatives are expected to be launched in support of the region’s steady transition to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The Gulf nations, along with other Middle Eastern states, are well-positioned for more effective adoption of unconventional mobility modes due to various reasons, which include fast government decision-making processes and a growing focus on ultramodern urban transportation experience. New mobility systems require creating a more efficient and highly integrated ecosystem driven mainly by data. For such an ecosystem to be effective, it should support multi-modal and automated transport solutions. In addition, the region’s ambitious development and transformation programs designed to raise its global competitiveness and attractiveness will further hasten the establishment of this modern transport environment.

Role of tyre industry in the digital era

Technologies play a pivotal role in improving human movement in communities. This development has pushed the tyre industry to evolve with the needs of the times and contribute to mobility enhancement.

In this regard, tyre manufacturers have focused on telematic solutions, in-vehicle data, data sharing, and connected vehicles, to cite a few, to help improve connectivity and road safety on top of promoting sustainability.

They have begun leveraging next-generation technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) to transform tyres’ overall role in mobility. Today, we have heard talks about smart tyres, which will have the ability to collect data for optimised performance and safety, and Tyres-as-a-Service business models. The full implementation of the 5G technology is seen to further impact the tyre market’s efforts to keep pace with the modern changes.

The regional and global tyre industries will continuously evolve in keeping with the rising need for ground-breaking transport models that support the concept of CASE or connected cars, autonomous driving, sharing and electrification.

There are numerous lessons to learn from the experience of the GCC and the Middle East as a whole. Other countries may follow in the region’s footsteps in terms of willingness to invest in advanced mobility solutions, creating relevant strategies, and implementing fast regulatory changes. The GCC’s progress in its efforts to shift to an integrated system to maximise public transport use and commitment to continually look for, test and deploy new technologies are equally commendable.

An integrated, technology-driven mobility system is without a doubt at the heart of a seamless transport experience. To hurdle current and future obstacles to efficient mobility, new solutions have to be applied to build data-enabled, and sustainable urban transport infrastructure.

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