What Is Treadwell? A Q&A with Dr. Baldwin on How Tire Recommendations Work

Treadwell is a smart tire shopping tool that helps drivers choose the best tires possible using objective test data, real customer mileage experience, and local weather tailored to the driver's ZIP code and driving priorities.

TREADWELL Q&A WITH DR. JOHN BALDWIN

What is Treadwell?

Summary: Treadwell is a tire buying tool that uses real-world testing, localized driver input, and objective test driving data to quickly compare tire options that will fit your vehicle.

"I like to describe Treadwell as a tool. And what a tool does is that it works in concert with other tools to achieve a goal. Treadwell helps determine the best tire for our customers based on what they drive, how they drive, and where they drive. Then, Treadwell ranks them based on how close they achieve the performance the driver needs. Customers can make their choice using a tool that doesn't take into account brand preferences or other biased factors."

How does Treadwell work?

Summary: Treadwell uses an advanced algorithm to generate tire recommendations based on a customer's needs using extensive third-party testing, store tire data such as treadwear, and predictive modeling.

"Treadwell is actually a very basic prism into our tire inventory. What this does is as you answer questions, for example: what vehicle do you drive?, the search scope of available tires will become narrower. Once Treadwell has narrowed down what's available as much as possible, it will then look at data accumulated by drivers like you from our stores, expert driving analysis of various tire attributes like wet stopping, dry handling, noise, winter testing, and so on to compare the remaining tires to offer what's best for you in a ranked system."

"The Treadwell tool takes what we know about you, the customer, and what we know about the tires we've tested and filters it down with additional factors like weather and driving priorities. Each factor is weighted differently depending on what you've told us is important to you and this will dynamically affect your results.

We also utilize driving profiles to help quickly organize groups of priorities but these can be customized in the Treadwell flow. Treadwell also takes into account what we care about for our customers, especially regarding safety. For instance, we always prioritize wet stopping distance.

Customer preference is weighted more heavily than our preferences but wet braking and mileage will always weigh more regardless of any profile for safety reasons."

Does Treadwell get smarter over time?

Summary: Yes, Treadwell gets smarter over time.

"Certainly. A couple things happen with Treadwell getting smarter over time. An algorithm gets smarter the more it's used as it hones down results. The other thing that gets better over time is that we get more and better data all the time from our stores. We can really dial into specific local factors that help us offer tires specifically for your zipcode."

Is Treadwell AI?

Summary: Yes, but not like the AI you typically use. It is an advanced mathematical algorithm tool.

"It originally was an old school version of artificial intelligence, which is a mathematical algorithm. However, it's not like the AI you know of today because it's not conversational. It's a tool without conversational feedback.

How the math works: behind the scenes, depending on your vehicle and how you drive, we use different weighted factors, like weather, in a mathematical formula to calculate the best tire for you."

How does local weather impact results?

Summary: Treadwell takes local weather directly into account to recommend tires that make sense for your driving area.

"Very much so! Treadwell is so sophisticated that it can take into account differences in location as narrow as your zip code so each driver gets customized tire results that really matter for their driving conditions."

"If you frequently drive between zip codes with really different conditions, such as very dry to wet or cold, you should take into consideration both types of conditions. I recommend you use Treadwell twice, once each with both zip codes to compare tire options."

You can always ask us, your tire experts, for help choosing the appropriate tire in unusual circumstances like above. Treadwell is designed to meet the needs of most drivers, 90% of the population. But we don't want to forget about the other 10%.

How does Treadwell make things easier for tire shoppers?

Summary: Treadwell removes the stress of tire shopping by helping customers quickly get to the right answer without extensive research. Treadwell's algorithm is fueled by research, test data, and predictive modeling.

"We first came up with Treadwell, and it came across many different departments because it was such a big deal, because when you walk into a store, you realize you are confronted with thousands of tires to choose from and dozens can fit your vehicle. It's difficult to quickly get to the right answer without tons of research."

"This is what differentiates us from competitors: we help you make the right decision so you don't need to waste precious time. We made search results easy to digest and select based on what you need, especially regarding safety. Treadwell helps you buy the best tire you can afford."

How does Treadwell help store employees?

Summary: Treadwell helps store employees in the same way it helps our customers: by removing the stress of selection. Employees do not need to memorize hundreds of tire models; they can use Treadwell for consistent reference.

"In some respects, I think it helps our employees in the way it helps our customers. It's super difficult to memorize every single tire as there are hundreds of options. Treadwell makes it easier to quickly compare and remind tire experts of tire features. It takes the stress out of making recommendations and offers consistency."

Who is Treadwell for?

Summary: Treadwell is for our typical customer, allowing tire shoppers to become tire experts and make informed decisions quickly. It's not as useful for enthusiasts who already know a lot about tires.

"That's a great question. Treadwell is for our typical customer. It allows them to become tire experts and make a decision quickly. Specifically, an informed decision. I refer to them as 'all-season' customers because they make up the majority of the tire buying market.

Treadwell isn't really for super enthusiasts who do extreme driving activities. They already know what kind of tires they need. Think racetrack, extreme off-roading, tuner enthusiasts.

What I do like is that Treadwell has made great gains in differentiating winter tires from non-winter tires in terms of performance. It's shown how extreme the difference in braking and traction is between non-winter and winter tires."

How does Treadwell balance objective truth vs. subjective info?

Summary: Treadwell balances objective data, such as rigorous performance testing, with subjective expertise of highly skilled track drivers to factor into tire recommendations.

"Another great question! When we look at testing, we use terms like 'objective' and 'subjective' testing. These don't mean 'good' and 'bad,' they just mean how data is measured.

Subjective testing includes a driver's performance opinion on things like noise and handling. They have a prescribed set of tests they run and they rank based on their expert opinion which is aligned on a control tire.

Objective testing includes rolling resistance and winter braking and traction tests. These all take place on our test track and are scientifically repeatable.

What don't we include? Customer reviews! Reviews are a companion to Treadwell in that you can see them on the product pages, but they are not a reliable source of performance. They can be biased or about something other than the tire, such as a store's performance.

We also don't test for mileage but we can use advanced algorithms to postulate accurate mileage."

What is Treadwell's testing methodology?

Summary: All Treadwell testing must be repeatable and reflect some real-world aspect that a customer would care about.

"Regardless of the kind of test, data must be repeatable and reflect some real-world aspect that a normal customer cares about. Test courses are maintained to make sure that tests are repeatable and consistent. We employ significant effort to make sure conditions are as similar as possible, such as using treated water to make sure wet conditions are the same.

For wet and winter testing, we compare a new tire's performance to worn by stripping down tread to 4/32'', about when you should be replacing your tires, and subjecting them to the same tests.

Regardless of the kind of test, it must be repeatable and reflect some real-world aspects of driving. It must be about things that a normal customer cares about.

Test courses are maintained to make sure that tests are repeatable and consistent. Significant effort is made to keep conditions as similar as possible, such as using treated water to make sure wet conditions are the same.

For rolling resistance tests, we are testing how hard it is to roll the tire. Think of a bike tire. If it's supposed to be inflated to 50 psi and you deflated it down to 10 psi, it'll be pretty difficult to move. It's the same for a vehicle tire. Lower rolling resistance means better efficiency. Fuel efficiency saves money long term, not just due to fuel costs, but also due to sustainability, a factor that customers are increasingly concerned with.

Tire construction and materials also make a big difference in rolling efficiency. Newer tires tend to be less efficient because there's more tread to move. All these factors can affect your range and gas mileage."

Check out our blog on Treadwell's testing methodology!

Do you share Treadwell results with tire manufacturers?

Summary: Yes, Treadwell is an open tool that can be accessed by anybody. Discount Tire also works directly to provide data with tire manufacturers to help them offer better products.

"Certainly. Treadwell has no variations or internal versions. The Treadwell you use on our website is the one everyone uses, so everyone has access. We work with tire manufacturers to help dial in their performance and create better products.

If a tire performs badly due to poor testing performance or another newer tire surpasses it in rankings, manufacturers will notice!

We also drop tires that don't perform well as we hold high standards. We only keep the best tires possible in our stock. Safety is our number one priority, and Treadwell helps promote this by ensuring customers can choose the safest, best tires in their budget."

Are we in contact with the manufacturers as we test their tires?

Summary: It depends on the manufacturer. They may observe the testing but have no hand in test results.

"That depends on the manufacturer. They may participate in the testing but they have nothing to do with the results themselves.

A lot of times, a tire manufacturer will be certain their tire will perform a certain way and it won't. Tire manufacturers will also weigh certain factors differently than we do because we emphasize customer input and needs. We consider our tests customer-centric."

How is Treadwell making a difference in the industry?

Summary: Treadwell has changed the course of the tire industry to focus on mileage and wet performance. Tires of all levels have become better and drivers are safer.

"A lot of previous 'shopping tools' were simple filtering tools on websites.

The number one thing Treadwell has done is drive the industry to focus on mileage and wet performance. We can see tires becoming better in the decade or so since Treadwell has begun. It's helped make people safer, and I feel confident saying that some people are alive today thanks to Treadwell.

It has brought bottom tier, low-cost economy, tires up higher, making value tires more comparable to premium ones. We do test durability for our economy tires to make sure they're up to snuff. We also regularly inspect tire factories to make sure they adhere to our strict quality standards of production and management. You need both those things to do it right."

How long did Treadwell take to develop?

Summary: About six months to one year to start, but it took three to four years for enough data to accumulate for it to be effective.

"I'd say it was about six months to one year. The lengthy portion was getting Treadwell's framework developed, such as data accumulation, protocols, test track creation, and so on. This all took years. To get it functioning? Three or four years so it had enough data to not affect recommendations.

Also, it's a continuously learning algorithm so it is always improving! We are always adding new features and tests to make it better, such as off-road categories."

How much money has been invested in Treadwell?

Summary: It's difficult to estimate but easily tens of millions of dollars have been invested in Treadwell.

"Golly. Tens of millions, for sure. I do not have an exact number, but probably bordering on 100 million dollars has been invested to make tire shopping easier."

What future innovations are planned for Treadwell?

Summary: Off-road enhancements are actively in the works for future Treadwell additions. Potentially, a summer tire function may be on the horizon.

"Our off-road addition is currently in development and will consist of three new tests: mud traction, sidewall resilience, and chip and tear, chunk, testing on gravel. These tests will be done over the course of 250 miles to get a good idea of how a tire will perform in rugged conditions. It's a great enhancement for those who work and play, or work in non-paved situations.

Possibly summer tires, too? This would probably be done in conjunction with our partner Tire Rack, who also does our winter testing in Michigan."

ABOUT DR. JOHN BALDWIN: TREADWELL PIONEER

Prior to joining Discount Tire, he worked for Exponent, a scientific and engineering consulting firm.

At Discount Tire, he serves as Chief Product and Technical Officer and is the driving force behind Treadwell, a smart tire shopping tool that utilizes extensive testing data and driver preferences to generate simple, personalized tire recommendations. He has authored and presented over 40 papers on tire testing, lectured in Europe and Asia, and holds 3 U.S. patents.

In 2009, he received the Sparks-Thomas Award from the Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society for outstanding contribution to the science and technology of elastomers. He is a member of Sigma Xi, a Certified Six Sigma Greenbelt, and served as former Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.

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