S. 5095: Tire Safety Modernization Act of 2026

This bill would direct the Department of Transportation to update several federal tire safety rules, mainly for passenger car, light truck, and some commercial tires, within set deadlines after the bill becomes law.

What it changes

• Removes some older test requirements from the federal tire standard for passenger car and light truck radial tires. Specifically, it would eliminate certain testing and performance rules related to tire strength and bead unseating resistance in FMVSS No. 139.

• Updates the definition of “chunking” in the tire safety rules. For snow tires, the bill would define chunking more specifically as pieces breaking off the tread or sidewall and exposing reinforcing materials. It also directs the Transportation Secretary to review whether the definition should be further changed for non-snow tires, including all-season tires, based on international standards, industry practices, and available safety data.

• Clarifies that visible chunking counts as a failure under certain endurance and low-pressure tire performance tests.

• Removes additional older strength-testing requirements from another tire standard, FMVSS No. 119, as applied to radial light truck tires and radial commercial tires.

• Creates new uniform high-speed testing rules for passenger car and light truck tires. These rules would need to match certain international testing methods and would cover speed ratings, sustained operation at increasing speeds, and conditions involving load, pressure, and temperature to check structural integrity and safety margins.

Studies and follow-up

The bill would also require the Government Accountability Office to study how these changes affect the tire market, including tire safety and availability. That report would look at international standards, current industry practices, and any need for further safety improvements, and would make recommendations to Congress and the Transportation Secretary.

Timing

• Most rule changes would have to be made within 1 year after enactment.

• The new high-speed testing rules would have to be issued within 180 days.

• The GAO report would be due between 3 and 5 years after the final rules are published, or by 8 years after enactment, whichever comes first.

Relevant Companies

• GT - Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. could be affected because the bill would change federal tire testing and performance standards that tire manufacturers must meet.

• MTB - Michelin (via its U.S. tire operations; Michelin is not publicly traded in the U.S. under a U.S. ticker) would be affected in practice, but no directly comparable U.S.-listed ticker applies.

• CTT - Continental AG (not U.S.-listed) would be affected in practice, but no directly comparable U.S.-listed ticker applies.

• CPG - Cooper Tire is now part of Goodyear, so changes would likely flow through Goodyear rather than a separate public company.

• BRP - Not directly relevant; no likely significant direct impact found for this company.