Could the Self-Inflating Tire Become a Reality?
Goodyear has been working on just such a solution, and it came up with a tire design that can keep tires properly inflated at all times.
Self-regulating tires are not new — most large semi-trucks have them, the New York Times reports. The difference here is rather than using an external air pump and pressure valve — something that would look odd on a passenger car — the mechanism lies within the tire itself.
The miniature pump and other components would automatically regulate the air pressure, maintaining the proper specifications for the given vehicle.
Right now Goodyear doesn’t know when (or if) the technology would be marketable, but if it can be sold to the public, it could make a big impact on the nation’s gasoline use. And the first applications would likely be in semi-trucks, not passenger cars.
One out of three cars has severely underinflated tires, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Underinflated tires can reduce fuel economy between 2.5% and 3.3% in passenger cars and commercial trucks. At today’s prices, that equates to 12 cents wasted per gallon of gas, Goodyear says.
Improperly inflated tires also increase a vehicle’s stopping distance and affect the ride and handling and long-term life of the tires.
