The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $1.5 million grants to Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and PPG Industries Inc. to study, evaluate and develop technologies for improving the fuel economy of the nation’s vehicle fleet. Cooper hopes to cut the weight of a typical passenger tire by 20%; Goodyear will develop a viable system of enabling tires to remain inflated at their optimum pressure without the need for external pumps or electronics. The grant awarded to PPG will be used to investigate ways to improve the rolling resistance and fuel efficiency of tires through the use of new tread compound and inner-liner technologies.