Good news for car owners: The days of changing tires on the highway shoulder are over! Bridgestone, a byword in tire manufacturing, has developed what every car owner dreams of a tire that doesn’t puncture.
The news that Bridgestone was creating a non-pneumatic, or “airless,” tire for the passenger car market caught many drivers’ attention. Despite the fact that the prototype is still being developed, the future appears bright for this ground-breaking tire.
Conventional tires are inflated with high-pressure air, which gives tires a spring-like function to support a vehicle weight and absorb shock form the road surface just like a inflated ball. If the air pressure is not appropriate or a tire is flat, you may have a problem in driving.
The resin spokes with “Dubbed Airfree” technology provide higher flexibility for design and recyclability than conventional tires. It relies on plastic spokes between the rubber on the tire’s surface and the metal wheel rim. The 1-centimeter-thick spokes are designed to cushion shocks from the road surface in place of a traditional inner air tube.
There are developments and enhancements to be made before airless tires are available for consumers. Finding a way to avoid trapping debris within the spokes, as well as developing the best way to distribute weight evenly and consistently transmit loads are a couple of these hurdles.
The fact that there is no chance of a flat tire or the need to check tire air pressure and other maintenance issues is an obvious advantage. Airfree will initially target crawling vehicles, such as buses. The tire will go on sale in 2026, according to Bridgestone Corp.
The company envisions the tires being installed on community buses that serve locals and visitors in many communities, particularly in rural areas. Additionally, the company is targeting small electric buses that move at less than 20 kph.
On 24 October, Bridgestone invited local government officials, who operate community buses, to its test site in Kodaira, west of Tokyo, for a test drive and received full marks.
“The design and maintenance-free nature of the tire is very appealing,” said an official from the Toyama city government who took part. “I didn’t find anything wrong, even when traveling at 50 kph.”
The fact that electric cars don’t need to stop at gas stations to fill up also makes Bridgestone’s new tire a desirable choice for EV drivers.
Bridgestone wants to increase the tire’s use in trucks and small electric cars in order to lower costs, increase ride comfort, and aid in tire recycling.
The tire is painted in a thunder design of blue and white.
Cover Image Credit: Bridgestone