October 16, 2024

Bridgestone Co., Ltd.'s premium brand product “REGNO GR-XIII” for passenger cars, the soft robot “Morph” using rubber artificial muscles, and the next-generation tire “AirFree,” which does not require air filling, received the “2024 Good Design Award"*1 sponsored by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion. “AirFree” was also selected as “My Choice Item” *2.

Since its establishment, design has played an important role in Bridgestone through the introduction of the corporate identity, the Bridgestone logo, and the B Mark. The third establishment, with 2020 as the first year, aims to realize “to a company that continuously provides social value and customer value as a 2050 sustainable solution company,” which is set forth as a vision, pursues design expression linked to management and business strategies focused on value creation globally, creates innovation by going back and forth between the three ideas of logical, design, and art, and creates new social value and customer value I'm working on it

■Eligible recipients of the 2024 Good Design Award
1. Premium brand product for passenger cars “REGNO GR-XIII” (REGNO GR CROSS THREE) *3
The “REGNO GR-XIII” is a tire that realizes a new “REGNO FEELING,” which achieves both “unprecedented space quality in REGNO history,” and “high quality ride quality” of “quiet, soft, comfortable, comfortable, and smooth,” in terms of functionality and exterior by applying an edge to quietness and handling. In terms of functionality, a new product design foundation technology “ENLITEN” *4 has been applied, and performance called “space quality,” “driving performance,” and “sustainability” has been achieved at a high level. On the exterior side, in addition to the characteristic and sleek pattern design, the world view of “REGNO” is expressed through fine processing technology “LUXBLACK” and the copper weight connection pattern design.

＜Comment from the Good Design Award Office＞
In order to further pursue the quietness that Regno has consistently pursued, this product not only simply reduces sound pressure, but also adopts a tread pattern to achieve sound that humans are less likely to worry about. What is noteworthy is that even in terms of appearance, it is an expression that makes you expect quietness, so it can be said that it is one of the ideal images in tire design. The search for beauty can also be felt in the lettering on the sidewall, and the weight of the experience of continuing to send premium tires for over 40 years is conveyed.

2. Soft robot “Morph” (Morph) using rubber artificial muscles*5
“Morph” is a soft robot that utilizes rubber artificial muscles that provide the experience of “entrusting, being able to surrender” in order to build a new relationship between humans and robots. The design was inspired by the “soft robot of the future.” Data reflecting the activities and natural movements of sensed organisms, such as animal breathing and the rise and fall of the tide, are installed on soft rubber artificial muscles, creating breathing unique to “Morph,” which is different from living things and robots.

＜Comment from the Good Design Award Office＞
The fact that it is a challenging and unique genre of service that I have never seen before caught my eye. Since it is different from services that have a direct purpose, such as existing massage chairs, etc., it is interesting how this service will be developed as a business.

3. Next-generation tire “AirFree” (air free) that does not require air filling ※6
“AirFree” is a next-generation tire that does not require air filling. Instead of air, recyclable spokes support the load, and by adopting a blue color that maximizes visibility even during dim hours, it is designed to embody safe and secure movement, improved maintenance efficiency, and improved resource productivity. In order to derive optimal materials and shapes, “AirFree”'s unique design system was constructed while utilizing Bridgestone's knowledge of tire technology, and a unique resin spoke shape was created. Also, the blue color used for “AirFree” was defined as “empowering blue” as “blue that empowers (empowers or supports) the safe and secure movement of local communities.” With the mission of “supporting mobility in local communities” facing issues such as aging, depopulation, and labor shortages, we are promoting activities with the aim of social implementation in 2026.

＜Comment from the Good Design Award Office＞
Other companies not only evaluate airless tires in the research and development stage on technical aspects that were quickly finished to the implementation level, but they also feel that they are particular about performance from spokes with complicated shapes, use recyclable materials, and make them blue in consideration of visibility at dusk, so the attitude that takes environmental performance and safety performance into consideration is also wonderful. It is an innovative product that has the potential to change the way people interact with tires by being freed from severe air pressure checks.

＜My chosen item selection comment＞
Jin Kuramoto/Product Designer:
A new kind of happiness that can be seen by questioning commonplace and researching and developing different solutions. I feel the essence of design.

Bridgestone is committed to supporting a sustainable society by creating the eight values listed in the corporate commitment “Bridgestone E8 Commitment"*7 by pursuing design linked to management and business strategies.

1. ※1 Good Design Award website
2. *2 Introducing “favorites” and “things you are personally attracted to” selected by the Good Design Award judges from among those receiving the Good Design Award
3. *3 tire site “REGNO GR-XIII”
4. *4 “ENLITEN” (ENLITEN) is a product design infrastructure technology that improves conventional tire performance and then customizes the diverse performance required of tires for each customer and for each mobility. Not only are we close to our customers and fulfill their tire needs and wants, but we also apply an edge to performance that inspires customers, and realizes new value that customers cannot imagine through “ultimate customization.”
5. *5 Purposeless Room “Morph Inn” (Morph Inn)
6. *6 Bridgestone's next-generation tire “AirFree” that does not require air
7. *7 “Bridgestone E8 Commitment (Bridgestone E8 Commitment)”
   Bridgestone has established the corporate commitment “Bridgestone E8 Commitment” to realize its vision of “becoming a company that continuously provides social value and customer value as a sustainable solution company in 2050.” Using this as the axis for advancing management while gaining trust from the future, we are committed to supporting a sustainable society by creating the eight values (Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease, Ease, and Satisfaction) starting with “E” typical of Bridgestone, with goals and means typical of Bridgestone, together with employees, society, partners, and customers.

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