Concept tires can be understood as future tires, which are a kind of tires that are between imagination and reality. Tire manufacturers use concept tires to show people novel, unique and advanced ideas, reflecting human dreams and pursuits for tire development.
Today, the ruts of the car will take you to take stock of the three kings in the field of concept tires.
Old three: Korean Hankook Tire
Xiaobian believes that Hankook's concept tires are very avant-garde and futuristic, which may be related to the positioning of Hankook Group, after all, they claim to be a technology company.
1. Hexonic concept tires
Hexonic focuses on self-driving cars, so it's primarily aimed at ride comfort for passengers who don't need road feedback or feeling. Its tread is broken down into a series of hexagonal modules that appear to be able to separate to form new water channels. Each hexagon also has a Y shape in the middle that can pass through smooth surfaces, adding extra grip.
At least seven sensors in Hexonic tires can read, analyze and react to roads in real time, taking grip, temperature and pavement into account.
2. Aeroflow concept tires
Aeroflow is aimed at motorsport and has the most downforce tyres. It has a fat smooth tread that can be separated in the middle to become wider and draws incoming air into the turbine impeller, creating additional downforce if necessary.
Old two: French Michelin
Michelin's concept tires are the closest to life and the most likely to be used in mass production.
1. Uptis concept tires
On June 4, 2019, at the third Pioneering Forward Summit held in Montreal, Canada, Michelin and General Motors cooperated to launch a new generation of passenger car pneumatic tire technology , the Michelin Uptis prototype tire, which can effectively play a role in puncture resistance.
Since Uptis is pneumatic tires, breakthrough hub assemblies eliminate the risk of tire leaks and punctures. In addition, by reducing the number of tire changes and the use of raw materials for spare tire production, society will gain great environmental benefits.
Michelin Uptis concept tires were unveiled on the Mini electric car for the first time during the Munich Motor Show in September 2021. The French tire giant plans to bring Uptis tires to market in 2024.
2. VISION concept tires
At the 2017 "Michelin Pioneering Forward" summit, Michelin presented vision's innovative concept tires for the first time. Using advanced materials and 3D printing technology, this tire can change the tread according to the driving state and is 100% renewable.
VISION's tire characteristics meet the principles of sustainability: air-free tires made from biomaterials and recycled materials; built-in sensors for drivers to provide services and advice; treads made of biodegradable materials that can be reprinted with 3D printers; and reduced vehicle travel carbon footprint.
Vision is both a hub and a tire, a transportation solution that combines tires, services and materials. This innovation is inspired by nature. At the same time, it is fully integrated into the circular economy framework.
Boss: Goodyear
Goodyear is definitely the leader in the field of concept tires, with a fantastic design, a unique look and a variety of functions.
1. Goodyear AERO
The Goodyear AERO Concept tire is a "two-in-one" tire designed and developed for future autonomous flying cars, which is both a vehicle tire for riding roads and a "thruster" for cars flying in the air.
The tire features a unique, non-inflatable structure that provides the vehicle with high sensitivity to cushion the vehicle for road driving, and ensures that the tire rotor can rotate at high speeds when necessary, generating vertical lift.
2. Oxygene concept tires
The Oxygene concept tires are involved in biotechnology, with live moss on the surface that absorbs moisture from the road, carbon dioxide from the surrounding environment and then oxygen.
In addition, the tire can also obtain a small amount of electricity from photosynthesis to power the sensors on the tire and the tire sidewall light strip.
3. EAGLE-360 URBAN concept tire
This ball tire is placed under the car in a magnetic levitation manner, with built-in sensors that can sense changes in the road surface and make adjustments in time. Goodyear says it makes passengers more comfortable and reduces noise.
This tire is made of 3D printing technology, and the surface texture is bionic coral reef surface. For the treatment of slippery roads, it learns sponges, softens and absorbs water when wet, and hardens again when dry. The biggest benefit of the ball tire is that it can move in any direction 360°, and drifting and stopping is no longer a difficult task.
4. ReCharge concept tires
The core strength of this concept tire is the self-loading, biodegradable tread formulation that allows for free replacement through separate capsules, greatly simplifying the tire change process.
The tread of the reCharge concept tires also features lightweight, air-free construction and a high and narrow tyre design. This slim, sturdy and easy-to-maintain structure eliminates the hassle of tire pressure maintenance or failure caused by nails.
Goodyear's concept tires are too many to count, and Xiaobian will not introduce them one by one.
Conclusion: Concept tires are often only in the creative and experimental stage, and may not be put into production, but they can be used for tire development research and development experiments, and can also provide prototypes for exploring tire shapes, adopting new structures, and verifying new principles.
As a result, concept tires help drive the tire industry forward, and ruts look forward to the day when these whimsical ideas really come in handy.