Tires that will make driving easier in the future

Many people are aware of the fact that the automotive sector will look completely different in a dozen or several dozen years. This is true even for tires – as we will discuss in more detail in today’s text.

Tires – time to change some axioms

Many people believe that in the future we will not use cars. In their vision, they will be replaced by aboveground vehicles, or perhaps by hyperloops. Some with particularly vivid imaginations even speak of teleportation. Of course, we don’t know the future and we don’t know the exact direction evolution will take. We can draw conclusions based on observations of current trends. The automotive sector contributes a lot to exhaust emissions. The standards are getting stricter and new technologies allow for eco-friendly driving. This also applies to tires – they are made of artificial materials and chemicals that contribute significantly to environmental pollution.

It’s not the manufacturers fault

Many people don’t even consider that this is due to technological barriers. In order to deliver a tire that is durable and provides safety, grip and comfort on the road, it is necessary to use the available technological capabilities. And these simply do not belong to the “green” ones. Only recently have eco tires, which are produced without polluting the environment, become available. It is very possible that in the future they will be produced on a larger scale.

What should we expect from the tires of the future?

This is not a wish list. Again – we observe and analyze existing trends and draw conclusions. Modern tires should be:

• Eco-friendly – first and foremost, it’s about the 3Rs principle – reduce (more tire strength = less production), reuse (tire strength matters again), recycle (tire recycling is very important). The aim is also to contribute to reducing fuel consumption.
• Intelligent – the use of new technologies, for example machine learning and Big Data, may allow at some point to develop even better tires and determine the optimal use for current ones.
• Tailored to the vehicles of the future – the obvious problem is that we don’t quite know what those vehicles will be. At the moment, concept-cars are using very strange tires for us, unlike the standard tires we are used to seeing. So it’s possible that their shape will change. It’s not likely that the materials will change. The key, however, is the chance that we will finally move away from heavy, damage-prone tyres.

What do the top manufacturers have to say about it?

Of course, it’s impossible to talk about the tires of the future without examples. There are many visualizations of the tires that will be on the road in a few years. Although some manufacturers have gone so far as to “fly away” (and I mean that literally) in their predictions, that probably their ideas will turn out to be a pipe dream, a complete phantasmagoria. However, we will try to list the most interesting, innovative and unique tire models that may actually try to conquer the roads in the future.

The Goodyear proposition – total coolness

Goodyear has several innovative tire designs in its portfolio. From a proposition for flying cars, to a spherical tire that is designed to give the driver extraordinary control over the vehicle. The first tire is made of ultralight materials and would be used in cars that would switch between flying and surface modes. It somewhat resembles a small turbine propeller. There’s no denying, at first glance it’s an interesting, non-obvious idea. However, it will probably take decades before we will be able to implement it in cars. By that time better, less eccentric solutions will have emerged.

Another Goodyear proposition – this time a 180-degree turn

Eagle 360 tire is a sphere charged with AI and sensors, which is mounted in special magnetic fields of vehicles. Thanks to this, the resistance is reduced. On the other hand, the problem is the transfer of energy to the wheels for driving control. Implementing such a solution would require rebuilding and reorienting modern vehicles by 180 degrees – but the idea itself is undoubtedly remarkable.

Goodyear’s latest offering – a manufacturer that never lets us forget

As you can see, Goodyear is committed to innovative and spectacular concepts. It will be interesting to see how far Goodyear manages to bring these concepts to life. The Goodyear Oxygene is one of the most talked about tire designs of the future. It is made of a skeleton that contains… moss. Moss contributes to air purification and enriches the atmosphere with oxygen. At the same time it is 100% ecological.

Michelin tires – less “spacey” here

As part of the Michelin brand, Vision tires have been developed. These are models that are characterized by simplicity – especially compared to the previously mentioned. They use extremely durable, eco-friendly materials that are able to support the heavy body of the car. Vision tires are also intelligent, with algorithms that constantly calculate the optimum tire positioning while driving.

NASA tires – straight from Mars

Using tires from space rovers in a more (literally) mundane way does not seem like an idea doomed to failure. Especially since they are, for obvious reasons, created to cope with extremely demanding conditions. These indestructible tires, hollow inside and relying solely on a highly durable skeleton, should win the hearts of many a driver.