While watching his son ride his tricycle in 1888, John Boyd Dunlop realized how uncomfortable the tires made the ride. Dunlop knew the solid rubber wheels did not give to the surface, so he devised a plan. By taking two sheets of rubber, John Dunlop wrapped the tires and glued the sheets together. He filled the rubber sheets with air, and ultimately invented the first ever commercially viable pneumatic, or air-filled tire. With this new intention, Dunlop opened his first tire plant in 1889 in Dublin, Ireland and his first tire factory in Birmingham, England two years following, creating Dunlop Rubber Company.

Dunlop continued his work and by 1920, he invented tires that were capable of reaching over 200 mph. To maximize potential on the racetrack, Dunlop technicians became the first to apply MotorSport tire standards to tires of everyday vehicles. By using MotorSport standards, customers received quality, durability, and endurance from tires designed for street driving. Denevo was designed in the 1970's, as the first "fail safe" tire, giving drivers long-distance and high-speed control with punctured or flat tires. Today, DSST (Dunlop Self-Supporting Technology) tires have been created to support vehicle's entire weight when the tire is punctured or completely flat.