Automotive Exports July 2018

Monthly automotive aftermarket magazine
information on tread wear and
work with air pressure sensors to
communicate air pressure data.
Low tire pressure is bad for your
tires and your gas mileage, but
many drivers fail to keep tires
properly inflated. A potential
remedy would be self-inflating
tires, which use sensors to
measure tire pressure and
automatically add or decrease air
if the pressure is too high or low.
This technology is being used in
heavy machinery and military
vehicles, and may be coming
soon to passenger cars, including
a low-tech version with just two
parts.
“The tire has a ring with a little valve
in it,” explains Marvin Bozarth,
senior technical consultant for
the Tire Industry Association, “and
when the tire rolls, it squeezes
that ring and maintains the air.”
Bozarth said tires lose about two
pounds of pressure a month from
normal use, and the new systems
would automatically make up
that air loss.
Perhaps the lowest-tech
development in tires could have
the greatest impact on driver
safety. The “discolor tire” starts
out looking like every other black
tire, but when the tread wears
down to a minimum safety level
its surface turns a bright orange.
Baked into the tread during the
manufacturing process, the color
lets you know when it’s time to
replace your tires.
“Eco-friendly” is a word not
typically associated with tires, but
sustainable alternatives to rubber
may soon take the lead in tire
production. Guayule ─ a desert
shrub found in the southwestern
U.S. ─ has been used to a limited
degree in rubber production
for over a century. But it could
play a more prominent role if
researchers can find ways to
improve its resistance to cracking
and heat buildup.
Likewise, “They’re also
experimenting with Russian
dandelion roots, which represents
material just like a rubber tree,”
Bozarth says.
Dandelion roots are much
easier to harvest than rubber
from trees and are better for the
environment. “But they’re also
looking for alternatives for rubber,
because you can get a situation
where rubber trees get diseased,”
Bozarth adds.
Easily the most visually striking
trend to emerge of late is
the airless tire. Impervious to
punctures, airless tires have an
outer tread supported by flexible
polyurethane spokes that absorb
the force of the road. They use less
rubber, potentially last up to three
times longer than traditional tires,
and have high lateral strength
and resistance to hydroplaning.
Besides being more eco-friendly,
they’re also more easily recycled.
The downside of airless tires is a
rougher ride at higher speeds.
But tire makers are working on
designs that offer a quality of ride
similar to standard tires.
60 JULY 2018