Brigestone releases air-free tires you never have to inflate.

[13CA350]

 

At the Paris Motor Show here, Bridgestone showed off a second-generation prototype of its Air Free tire, which replaces conventional tires' cushion of air with an array of shock-absorbing resin bands that resemble thick, angled spokes. The outside of the airless tire is coated with a replaceable tread made of a thin band of solid rubber.

Why mess with the proven design of tires? Of course, there's no such thing as a flat tire, but the main reason is to improve recyclability compared to conventional tires, said Olivier Monbet, leader of Bridgestone's technical department for France and Benelux.

"Every part of this tire is recyclable," Monbet said.

 

Personally, I think this is pretty cool. I think @LinusTech should put a pair on his Lambo. With airless tires I think that cars such as the Tesla, Googles Self-Driving cars, and the Lamborghini Asteron. The only thing  I can see being a problem is extreme heat (Where I live) extreme cold (Where I live) and road debris breaking them. What do you think?

 

Original source: http://www.cnet.com/news/out-with-the-air-bridgestone-shows-off-non-pneumatic-tires/

[Juganog]

They don't look too bad, could have some awesome designs also with that

[Tech_Dreamer]

Kewl , Must install this on my prototype anti zombie apocalypse car..

[TheMcSame]

So essentially a tweaked design of these...

[Trik'Stari]

Kewl , Must install this on my prototype anti zombie apocalypse car..

Agreed.

 

I wonder what the police will think of this, I can see it being quickly outlawed in the US.

 

Yet I'm willing to be the police themselves will get some.

[Jaybird]

ok, but how well do these work with 1000 ft.lbs. of torque?

[BloodySinner]

Unless Bridgestone secretly bought this company; this is old technology: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2289867/Reinventing-wheel-Forget-punctures-American-firm-unveils-airless-tires.html

[Thorium19]

So essentially a tweaked design of these...

Someone else remembers! Even Cnet, which this article is taken from, reported on those tyres way back in 08 http://www.cnet.com/news/new-honeycomb-tire-is-bulletproof/ so really this is nothing new, just a consumer grade version of military tech.

[flibberdipper]

This isn't a new technology...

 

Agreed.

 

I wonder what the police will think of this, I can see it being quickly outlawed in the US.

 

Yet I'm willing to be the police themselves will get some.

Why do you think it will be outlawed? They're airless tires...

[Trik'Stari]

This isn't a new technology...

 

Why do you think it will be outlawed? They're airless tires...

Can't be taken out with a spike strip.

[flibberdipper]

Can't be taken out with a spike strip.

So... Put barbs in the spikes that come out and harpoon the damn thing. Problem solved.

 

Better yet, make some that impale the rear end of the vehicle. Problem solved.

[Blue fellow]

Someone else remembers! Even Cnet, which this article is taken from, reported on those tyres way back in 08 http://www.cnet.com/news/new-honeycomb-tire-is-bulletproof/ so really this is nothing new, just a consumer grade version of military tech.

 

That's not true. That's like saying the Samsung S5 is nothing new. It's just an improved S1. Except the S5 has even more in common with the S1 than this tyre has with that tyre. Bridgestone made their own design with their own materials and did their own testing. The only thing it shares with that other tyre is that it has bits of crap instead of air.

[Dietrichw]

If you actually read the whole article and didn't simply copy paste you would include important info about the wheel having issues with lateral grip (side to side) on turns as the wheel is too stiff. As the tire is now, it only works if you drive in a straight line or turn very gradually over several miles just to make a right turn.

[Trik'Stari]

So... Put barbs in the spikes that come out and harpoon the damn thing. Problem solved.

 

Better yet, make some that impale the rear end of the vehicle. Problem solved.

Possibly I guess. Still, chances are they will outlaw it for civilian use.

[Thorium19]

If you actually read the whole article and didn't simply copy paste you would include important info about the wheel having issues with lateral grip (side to side) on turns as the wheel is too stiff. As the tire is now, it only works if you drive in a straight line or turn very gradually over several miles just to make a right turn.

I'm assuming it's to do with the rigidity of the material being too high, so it doesn't flex like a normal tyre over a steel/alloy wheel. At least it's progress, and will eventually lead to the replacement of tyres as we know it.

That's not true. That's like saying the Samsung S5 is nothing new. It's just an improved S1. Except the S5 has even more in common with the S1 than this tyre has with that tyre. Bridgestone made their own design with their own materials and did their own testing. The only thing it shares with that other tyre is that it has bits of crap instead of air.

By calling it nothing new, what was intended is that the technology is already there, it has already been achieved previously. Bridgestone have taken the same principles in the design of the original, and made it their own effectively, by experimenting and developing the "idea" to make it ideal for their specifications. At least from what I've read I inferred that.

[NumLock21]

Glad to see I'm not the only one who remembered that video.

Same here, i remember that too.

Anyone seen these?

[Blue fellow]

By calling it nothing new, what was intended is that the technology is already there, it has already been achieved previously. Bridgestone have taken the same principles in the design of the original, and made it their own effectively, by experimenting and developing the "idea" to make it ideal for their specifications. At least from what I've read I inferred that.

 

That's kind of like saying none of the Intels are new technology after the 8086 though. In order for their to be new technology, it doesn't have to be a new idea. Most new technology is a development of previous technologies.

[BWSSoldya]

but but but but....what about the skids? For the love of all that is holy people! Think of the maaaad Skids!! 

[Nicktrance]

What's the difference between this and Bridgestone's first prototype demoed a year or so ago? (btw they've only been demonstrated not "released")

 

Also most tyre companies are working on air-less tyres, so no it's not a new idea but it'd be stupid to complain about who copied who unless they blatantly use the same design.

 

but but but but....what about the skids? For the love of all that is holy people! Think of the maaaad Skids!! 

 

I'm guessing these will be even better since they're harder laterally, also after a day of skids you just slip on a new thread and drive home. I guess theoretically you could have drift threads, slick threads, summer threads, winter threads, off road threads etc and just swap them at will, somehow I doubt it will be that easy though.

[DigitalHermit]

Looks fugly imo... Hopefully it'll come in the classic tire look, or even white-wall if possible...

[Noctus]

Same here, i remember that too.

Anyone seen these?

Seriously want those tyres, fucking awesome. I'd love those cornering tyres combined with the fuel efficiency ones but the little kid in me straight up wants maglev tyres

 

but but but but....what about the skids? For the love of all that is holy people! Think of the maaaad Skids!! 

Nevermind the skids, that music...... relaxing cruise music *sigh* amazing.

[zanduh]

I don't think air tires are that much of a hassle but having FULLY recyclable tires is a big deal to me

[Mooshi]

But can they drift?

[EYCEthebest003]

ok, but how well do these work with 1000 ft.lbs. of torque?

cars with that much power weren't using conventional tires anyway.  This is something for average joe's toyota camery or ford focus.  I doubt these things would work well on heavy trucks and fullsize body on frame SUVs either.

[Techhog]

Agreed.

 

I wonder what the police will think of this, I can see it being quickly outlawed in the US.

 

Yet I'm willing to be the police themselves will get some.

Why?

 

EDIT: I'm dumb nvm. It should still be possible to badly damage the tires with spikes though.