By Cornelius Nunev


Goodyear, the best name in tires, will show that the R and D department has not been slouching when it uncovers several cutting-edge ideas at this year's Geneva Motor Show. One tire inflates itself and manages its own pressure. Another huge model is filled with springs and is meant to use on the moon.

Tires for the future

Brand new tires are important to Goodyear. It has a research and development team there solely to make sure the needs in the industry are being met.

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

"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."

Taking into consideration the environment

The worldwide need for petroleum is one that Goodyear wants to get rid of. This is why it used "BioIsopren" in one of its tires on display. Rather than using petroleum-based isoprene that most tires have, this tire uses bio-based material.

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 explained:

"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."

Used for space use

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration teamed up to help develop the "spring tire." This tire can be used on extraterrestrial areas such as the moon or in areas of our planet that are very harsh.

The spring tire is so-named because it contains 800 springs. It is intended to carry heavy loads over the most rugged terrains for long distances. In 1971, Goodyear also designed the wire-mesh tires used on the Lunar Roving Automobile 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 is the lead researcher on the tire project for Goodyear. He 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."

Keeping rubber out of the project

Extreme heat and cold change the way rubber functions, which is why National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Goodyear decided to keep away from using it in the new lunar tires. Rubber also does not fare well with solar radiation that could be found on lunar areas.

Award for R&D

The tire-maker was awarded the R&D 100 honor for its spring tires in 2010. This is the first time, however, the technology will be shown to the general public with a practical application.

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




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