What are noise-efficient tyres?

Tyres are designed to grip the road as effectively as possible and this causes tiny shock waves as the tread comes into contact with the road. These shock waves create noise, so a noise-efficient tyre is designed to reduce the number of shock waves to make it quieter. All new tyres have a label showing their noise rating in decibels (dB). The lower the number, the less noise the tyre makes. There are also sound waves shown on the label, so tyres with a single wave are quieter than those marked with two or three waves.
 

How do noise-efficient tyres work?

There are two types of noise created by tyres as they drive along the road. The first is made as the tread comes into contact with the surface of the tarmac and this give the rhythmic hum. The other sound is the hiss as a tyre moves along the road. It’s caused by air being compressed between the treads as they flatten on contact with the road and then released.

Noise-efficient tyres have tread patterns designed to smoothly engage with the road surface to reduce the amount of sound they make. They also use rubber compounds that are stiffer than many tyres so the tread doesn’t squish as much when it meets the road surface to reduce the amount of hiss at higher speeds.