How do I record the rolling noise of a tyre?

What you must do concretely

What is expected of you

Rolling noise is one of the three core values on the tyre label, together with rolling resistance and grip on wet road surfaces. The same principle applies to the product passport as for those other two values: the value that appears in the passport must be demonstrably determined in a documented manner. This gives rise to a number of concrete obligations.

Follow the measurement method that is prescribed

Rolling noise is expressed in decibels and classified into a class (represented by the familiar sound waves on the label). Regulation (EU) 2020/740 establishes how this measurement and classification are carried out. For a company with 10 to 100 employees, this usually means that the measurement reports from the manufacturer or testing facility are requested and retained, not that measurements are carried out internally. Anyone who imports tyres under their own brand, or has tyres produced by a third party, bears responsibility for ensuring that the underlying measurement was carried out according to the prescribed method. Article 39 of the ESPR (Regulation (EU) 2024/1781) establishes in general terms that for product categories such as tyres, test, measurement and calculation methods are laid down in the delegated or implementing act for that product category. For the passport, this means that not just any measurement will suffice: the method must correspond to what is prescribed for this product category. Further information on how this is implemented in practice can be found on the page on the measurement method for the passport values.

Link the correct value to the correct tyre

Rolling noise varies by tyre type, size and sometimes by variant within the same product line. A value measured on one size cannot be applied to another size within the same product line without substantiation. For a company carrying a broad range, this means in practice that for each article number the relevant measurement data are identified, and this linkage is traceable from the moment the data enter the passport. Which data exactly are included in the passport is described on the page on the contents of the product passport.

Distinguish between label value and passport value

The tyre label and the product passport are based on the same underlying measurement, but are not automatically identical in form and level of detail. The label shows a class, the passport can contain a more precise value or more context. For an importer or wholesaler, it is important to know which data comes from where and whether a change in one also affects the other. This relationship is explained on the page on the relationship between the tyre label and the passport.

Take seasonal variations into account

Rolling noise of a winter tyre may differ from that of a summer tyre of the same size, because the rubber compound and tread pattern differ. For companies that stock both categories, this means that the measurement data for each seasonal variant are recorded separately, not shared between variants that are in fact different products. Further information on this can be found on the page on the specifications of seasonal tyres.

Where things go wrong in practice

An importer takes over the rolling noise value from the manufacturer without checking whether that value applies to the specific size and specification being imported; with an assortment of dozens of sizes, a mismatch can easily slip in here.

A wholesaler uses for a new private-label product line the measurement data from a comparable tyre from another manufacturer, because its own test reports have not yet arrived. The value in the passport is then not based on a measurement of the product actually supplied.

When an assortment is modified, the winter tyre variant is carried under the same article number as the summer tyre variant, with the result that one rolling noise value is used for both types.

A fleet manager receives a question from a customer about the origin of the rolling noise value, but the company that purchased the tyres can no longer find the underlying test report because it was never linked to the internal article number.

After a minor modification to the tread pattern — for example to improve durability — the old rolling noise value remains in the passport because no one has established that this modification requires retesting.

What you can record

• The test report of the rolling noise measurement per size and variant, including the test method and test setting used
• A cross-reference table between internal article numbers and the associated measurement data, so that each tyre is traceable to its own report
• An overview of which variants (summer, winter, all-season) were tested separately, with reference to the approach on the page on seasonal specifications
• Agreements with suppliers or manufacturers about who is responsible for keeping measurement data up to date when a product is modified, with reference to the page on keeping passport data up to date
• An internal check that establishes, for every new product line or profile modification, whether the existing rolling noise value is still valid, or whether a new measurement is required