Buzz
Paul Misencik:
I've been puzzled by this question for much of my life, as air-filled pneumatic tires seem to be one of the last remnants of a 19th-century concept in today’s modern vehicles, a notion that should have faded away long ago. In a time when even the internal combustion engine is being replaced by electric motors, and a new compact hatchback possesses far more computing power than the Space Shuttle, pneumatic tires no longer seem to make much sense.
(And just to preempt any criticism, I understand that modern tires are far superior to their 1930s predecessors in terms of durability, reliability, and performance. Blowouts, which were commonplace when I was younger, are now nearly nonexistent. Modern tires are indeed excellent, but they remain vulnerable and require more upkeep than I feel is justified.)
In the modern era, companies have been exploring non-pneumatic tires for passenger vehicles, with Michelin being one of the main innovators. However, these tires were not made of solid rubber. In fact, they didn’t even feature sidewalls. The tires had open sides and were supported by a structural lattice of polyester ribs, with a considerable amount of air space between the contact patch and the now flexible wheel.
A major challenge when transitioning from pneumatic to non-pneumatic tires is that the air-filled tire is a vital part of a vehicle's suspension system. The flexibility in the sidewall plays an important role in the suspension's compliance, which greatly influences a vehicle’s ride quality and handling. (This is why race car drivers are so meticulous about tire pressures on every corner of the car, as even a minor change in pressure can significantly alter the vehicle's handling and grip.)
For a company like Michelin to succeed in creating a non-pneumatic tire, it would need to design the new tire to closely mimic the compliance and flexibility of the traditional air-filled tires. This would allow Michelin to market the new non-pneumatic tires as a retrofit for older vehicles originally designed for pneumatic tires. This is especially important because, without this compatibility, convincing manufacturers to switch to the new design would be much harder—particularly after the minor failure of Michelin’s 1980s “TRX” metric tire concept, which, although being a superior design in many respects, never gained widespread success. (Those who own 1980s Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxers or Saab 900 turbos will understand what I’m referring to.)
Michelin’s non-pneumatic tires also have a rather unusual appearance, and it remains uncertain whether any car manufacturers would take the risk of being the first to offer them on new vehicles.
The core challenge is that any non-pneumatic tire design must not only be superior to the older pneumatic models but also functionally identical to the tires they are replacing, while also being visually acceptable to consumers.
I really hope it happens. I hope someone figures it out. Pneumatic tires, a technology from the 19th century, are still being used on modern 21st-century cars, and eventually, that has to change.
This article was first published on Quora. Click here to read more.
