Grip, stability, steering feel and ride comfort are ultimately experienced by people, not machines. Bridging that divide between digital precision and human perception has become one of the defining challenges of modern tyre R&D. Positioned squarely at that intersection is Ansible Motion.
Ansible Motion has, over the past decade and a half, been a quiet contributor to reshaping how vehicle manufacturers, motorsport teams and – most notably – tyre makers think about simulation-led developments. This comes from a perspective that is shaped not only by technological ambition but also by a deep understanding of how tyres influence the driving experience in ways that no other vehicle component can.
Tyre performance has been embedded in Ansible Motion’s DNA long before the tyre industry itself became a direct customer. Salman Safdar, business development director at Ansible Motion, notes:
Tyres are one of the fundamental reasons why ground vehicle simulators need to be architecturally different from aerospace simulators. Directional changes are immediate with tyres . . . subtle disturbances that result from pavement irregularities are ever-present . . . human sensory experiences regarding vehicle control and stability are fundamentally different.
Against this backdrop, Driver-in-the-Loop (DIL) simulation has emerged as a powerful complement to conventional modelling and laboratory testing.
WHY DRIVER-IN-THE-LOOP MATTERS
At its simplest, DIL simulation places a human driver inside a virtual vehicle, interacting in real time with simulated tyres, roads and vehicle systems.
Modern tyre development depends on a complex interplay between objective metrics and subjective perception. Measurements of braking distance, lateral force or rolling resistance must ultimately align with how a tyre feels to a driver – how it communicates grip, how it responds on centre, how it rides over imperfect surfaces.
DIL simulators allow these subjective attributes to be explored much earlier in the development cycle and more frequently than is possible with physical prototypes alone. Crucially, this happens in parallel with traditional simulation and modelling work, not in isolation.
LOOKING AHEAD
Beyond established partnerships with Kumho Tire, Continental, Nexen Tire and Michelin, Ansible Motion sees growing demand for digital R&D infrastructure across regions, particularly in China’s rapidly expanding EV sector. For many tire manufacturers, simulation offers a way to compete with established brands on speed, cost and measurable ROI.
Over the next 5–10 years, Ansible Motion expects tyre development to be shaped increasingly by digital twins and AI-generated models incorporating new compounds and manufacturing processes. Validation demands will rise, as will regulatory scrutiny, making simulation indispensable not only for development but also for homologation. there's no doubt that subjective driver evaluation remains a critical development cornerstone for the driving experience and brand identity. And sustainability pressures will further accelerate the shift towards virtual validation. Safdar concludes:
If we can help reduce environmental impacts and reliance on physical prototypes, we are happy to be a part of it. We would like to think that Ansible Motion is positioned as a key enabler of digital, data-driven tyre innovations.
There's *much more* to read on the Tyre Trends website.