Tires are one of the most important safety features of any vehicle. Tire manufacturers have made big improvements in the past with how tires are created and the compounds they use. Tires today last longer and are safer than ever before.
It looks like the next big thing may now be airless tires. By removing air from the tire, manufacturers reduce another road hazard caused by under or over inflating tires. They also reduce the cost and inconvenience that a flat tire causes.
Goodyear is removing air from the tire and replacing it with an internal fill pattern that adds structure and rigidity to the tire.
The internal structure of the tire increases durability and performance when compared to a standard air tire, although it does come with its own drawbacks as well.
These airless tires won't be ready for several years, as Goodyear and Michelin aren't planning on having them available to the public before 2030, but it's interesting to see the future of tires.
The current tires are limited to much slower speeds than we're used to driving, although they could have specific use case in the near future.
Goodyear says they have tested their tires at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour and used the tires in a “maneuverability” course at speeds as high as 55 MPH.
Although the tires are shown off without any sidewalls, presumably for attention, a production version of the tire would likely include sidewalls.
Adding sidewalls to the tire would prevent debris from getting in-between the inner webbing and alter the way the tire reacts to the road.
It's clear these tires are not ready for everyday cars yet, but they're shaping up to be the tire of the future. Who wouldn't want a tire that lasts longer and is more reliable?
