This is what the tyre of the future will look like

Tyres are a fundamental part of cars and, like all important components, they also undergo continuous evolution, changing over time to adapt to the new needs of the industry. Today there are tyres that bear little resemblance to those manufactured just a few years ago, because the needs of the automotive industry have changed, and tyres adapt to them.

What will the tyres of the future be like? we wonder. The tyres used on electric cars, autonomous vehicles and even the increasingly likely flying cars will need characteristics different from those of the tyres used on traditional cars. So brands are starting to work in this direction, and this is what they propose.

Goodyear and the Lexus LF30

This conceptual model of Lexus features a different tyre, designed to get the maximum performance out of this electric car, and uses the technology developed by Goodyear to design the tread and a higher-performance cross-section. These tyres are designed not only to deliver the performance this type of vehicle requires, but also because the velvet on the tread side§h24± closest to the bodywork is used to create an airflow that helps cool the electric motor.

We’re still talking about Goodyear, because the manufacturer is presenting several tyre models adapted to the vehicles that are yet to come. Have you ever wondered what kind of tyres flying vehicles will use in a few years? Well, they will most likely be fitted with tyres like Goodyear’s Aero. These tyres are designed to work like traditional ones, but they can also rotate during flight mode to work as propellers and help propel the car in its airborne mode.

This is a conceptual model, so it is neither definitive nor has it been physically tested yet. Nevertheless, it has allowed the company to advance its tyre design technology, and the technology Goodyear developed to create it will allow it to apply everything learned to its new tyres.

The Goodyear Aero tyres are equipped with sensors powered by light, which connect with other vehicles and with infrastructure. In addition, they can determine the condition of the tyres, the road and the structure they are mounted on. An Artificial Intelligence will learn from the driving and provide anticipatory solutions to any problem that may arise during driving or flight.

Goodyear Oxygen tyres

Nature and industry come together to shape the Goodyear Oxygen tyres. The sidewalls of the tyre can even host moss. The open structure of the wheel and the tread design allow water to be absorbed and pass into the living material of the tyre. The moss means that, as the tyre operates, it produces oxygen, a curious detail of this conceptual tyre model.

The Goodyear Oxygen tyre is manufactured using 3D printing, thanks to the application of powder derived from recycled rubber, which allows this material to be reused in new units. It has a lightweight structure and absorbs impacts, so it achieves very high durability and high-performance operation.

Michelin UPTIS

Michelin unveiled the UPTIS tyres a few months ago, the first airless tyres on the market. They are not the first to have been designed, but they are the first that will be marketed more widely. Thanks to a collaboration agreement with General Motors, Michelin will bring these tyres to market in 2024, so we may soon see them on future models.

Their manufacture uses fairly efficient materials, such as aluminium, rubber and resin embedded in carbon fibre. This future Michelin model will considerably reduce the waste generated by tyres, as well as the energy consumption required to produce them. The design, which dispenses with compressed air, will favour a long service life, since punctures are avoided and its useful life is increased.

It is manufactured using 3D printing technology and is also connected to the vehicle’s main systems to improve its efficiency.

Bridgestone in space

Another major tyre brand is Bridgestone. Its commitment comes through space research, as it takes part in a lunar programme alongside the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Toyota Motor Corporation. The brand’s tyres will be present on the upcoming expedition to the Moon currently being prepared, so they are working to create tyres that can perform well on the lunar surface.

The idea is for the tyres to allow the lunar rover to move freely over some 10,000 kilometres. All these tyres are prototypes and models that still have to prove their worth on the market under real driving conditions, but they have already enabled significant progress in mobility, with the challenges facing the automotive industry ahead in mind.