Goodyear Unleashes New Tire Technology

By Cornelius Nunev

Tire-giant Goodyear will unveil several new concepts in tire technology at this year's auto show in Geneva. A tire that checks its own pressure will be on display, as well as a spring-loaded model designed for use on the moon.

Cutting edge tires

Goodyear's research and development teams have been working overtime as the tire maker seeks cutting edge solutions to meet the changing needs of the automotive industry.

Jean-Claude Kihn is the senior vice president and chief technical officer of Goodyear. He said:

"Goodyear has always been proactive in research and development, and we are looking forward to displaying a range of innovations that people will never have seen before. These technologies have been specifically developed to meet the ever-changing requirements of modern consumers and society focused on performance, sustainability, the environment and convenience."

Environmentally aware

The "BioIsopren" is a material that replaces petroleum-based isoprene that most tires used. It is used on one of the tires displayed in Geneva. Goodyear wants to make sure the world does not depend on petroleum so much.

Another tire that is good for the environment is the Air Maintenance Technology tire. This permits the tire to self-inflate and regulate its tire pressure. This should help fuel consumption decrease.

Kihn said:

"Consumers often overlook the importance of maintaining proper tire pressure. We believe this technology will have immediate positive impact for drivers in terms of performance and for the environment through improved fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and extended tire life. Goodyear has taken on this challenge and the progress we have made is very encouraging to the point that we are now ready to demonstrate it in Geneva for the first time."

Use on the moon

The brand new "spring tire," developed in association with The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is a concept intended for use on the moon or other extraterrestrial areas. It also could find some takers for use in the harshest areas on our home-planet.

The spring tire is so-named because it contains 800 springs. It is designed to carry heavy loads over the most rugged terrains for long distances. In 1971, Goodyear also intended the wire-mesh tires used on the Lunar Roving Vehicle in the Apollo moon missions. The brand new tires, says Goodyear, will out-perform the wire-mesh version for distance and in load-bearing.

Joe Lettieri, Goodyear's lead researcher on the spring tire project, said:

"This tire is extremely durable and very energy efficient. The spring design contours to any surface providing maximum traction. All of the energy used to deform the tire is returned when the springs rebound, so it will not generate heat like a pneumatic tire."

Hot and cold changes rubber

Rubber was not integrated in the lunar tires because Goodyear and NASA know that rubber could be degraded by the solar radiation on lunar surfaces. Rubber also changes depending on extreme heats and colds.

Honor for R&D

The R&D 100 award for 2010 was given to the tire manufacturer for the spring tires. This technology has not been shown off to the general public for practical application though.

On March 8, the Geneva Motor Show started and showed off the technology. It will stay there until March 18 when the show closes.

About the Author:

Are you trying to purchase or sell a used or pre-owned van? If this describes you, have a look at the inventory at BJ s auto buying program. Want to know find out more about BJ Auto Sales? BJ Auto Sales!