Throughout our long history, Goodyear has always been at the cutting edge of technological innovation. We produced the tyres for the first mass-produced passenger car, the first passenger jet aeroplane, the first racing speed record, the first vehicle on the moon, and the biggest number of wins in F1 races.
Innovation – the continuous flow of creative new ideas, products and materials – has always been at the very core of Goodyear's activities. The company established a major research facility in 1943, which has since received thousands of patents. Major inventions by Goodyear's scientists and technicians have been used not only in tyres and automotive products, but also in artificial hearts and joints, adhesives, artificial turf for playgrounds and food packaging, to name only a few. Goodyear Research was the training ground for Paul Flory, a Nobel laureate in the field of polymers. Two research associates have been awarded the Goodyear Medal, the highest award of the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society, which honours scientists and engineers who have made outstanding innovations. Goodyear Research scientists and engineers today come from all over the world and continue working at the cutting edge of rubber and polymer science. They have also branched out into such diverse fields as computer science, physics, mathematics, engineering mechanics, metallurgy and others to create a myriad of unique materials and processes.
1898 - The Goodyear company is founded 1904 - We make the world's first detachable tyre 1908 – We produce tyres for the Model T Ford, the first mass-manufactured car 1934 – We launch Lifeguard, the first tyre to provide extra stability in the event of a blow out 1952 – Our tyres are on the first commercial passenger plane 1964 – Our tyres are on the first vehicle to reach the 603 mph landspeed record 1971 – We put the first tyres on the moon 1993 – We introduce Aquatred, the first tyre specifically designed for wet conditions 1997 – Our tyres are the first to win 350 Grand Prix races 2001 – We invent bioTRED – an environmentally friendly, corn-based compound for tyres 2005 – We launch RunOnFlat – a tyre that keeps on going after a puncture or blow out 20?? – We create Tyre IQ, the first intelligent tyre to keep you updated about its condition