UTQG tire rating fraud?

Hello BMW Experts!
Lately we have seen a few car companies getting in trouble for inflating their mileage ratings on new cars, such as Hyundai/Kia. These tests are done by the manufacturers, and not by an independent tester.
The tire UTQG ratings are also done by the manufacturer. Are these wear & traction ratings checked out by the authorities often enough for us to have confidence in them? Are there any cases where a manufacturer has been caught inflating them.
Are the UTQG #s something we can trust and use?

Murf

Unfortunately due to the fact that each manufacturer performs these tests, the results can't be very accurate between companies. I would say they are a good indication between models of the same brand though. It would be nice if there was one test agency that issued these ratings though, so that every tire manufacturer was on a level playing field and you could accurately gauge these ratings.

In terms of real world driving though, I would just look at tires and expect general performance out of them, rather than looking strictly at the numbers. For instance, if you're comparing a Hankook Ventus V12 to a Continental DWS, you probably will enjoy more performance oriented driving out of the Hankooks and get longer life out of the Continentals. There are other factors that play into whether the tire lasts as long as the manufacturer states anyway.