Smithers is a world leader in laboratory measurement of tire performance, and we recognize the need for subjective evaluation. Potential purchasers of new cars, trucks, motorcycles, and ATVs will not judge your product by numeric data; they will drive your vehicle and form their own opinions. These opinions may be shaped by the interaction between human and machine. For example, resonance of different interior panels, steering wheel, seat bottom, floor pan, as well as acoustics, will influence the customer’s perception of ride performance.

Some tire characteristics are difficult to characterize in the laboratory. Limit handling, non-linearity, crispness, perception of yaw center location, steering feel, and sound tonality when traversing different pavement and surface types are difficult to predict in a laboratory or from only component testing.

Smithers evaluators are experienced in working with many different vehicles, vehicle systems, and tire options and can effectively help your design staff with expert, subjective evaluations of a number of characteristics. And with a wide variety of surface options available at the Treadwell Research Park and the Smithers Winter Test Center, we can support a myriad of project types.

Key Subjective Testing Options

  • Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH)
  • Highway handling
  • Snow, ice, wet & dry handling
  • Offroad testing (hill climb, mud, sand, trail, gravel, cut & chip)
Reach out today to speak with a Smithers expert about designing the most appropriate, subjective testing program to support your development goals. Our professional driving staff can work with your team to ensure that critieria and goals for your study are clearly understood at the start of the program. 
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