Tire of the future?

Q: Greg, I’ve heard reports that soon all cars will be traveling on tires that do not have air in them. Wouldn’t this make the ride stiff and unacceptable? — Harvey H., Spokane, Wash.

A: Harvey, airless tires will certainly come to market in the future, but it will be many years before we see them as standard equipment. And they won’t be of the solid tire variety like those used on forklifts.

Michelin is leading the way with its prototype airless tire dubbed the Tweel. It has already won some prestigious awards, including Time magazine’s “One of the Most Amazing Inventions of 2005.”

The Tweel utilizes a one-piece wheel-and-tire combo. Its hub connects to polyurethane spokes that assume the shock-absorbing role filled by a traditional tire’s air-filled sidewall. The spokes are bonded to a reinforced rubber tread band that can be as tread-specific as today’s tires.

By varying the thickness and size of the spokes, Michelin can generate a wide assortment of ride and handling qualities and utilize the tires on all types of cars, from Corvette to Volkswagen. Also look for Tweel use in the medical (wheelchairs) and military fields.

Once tires of this technology are on your car — and we’re talking perhaps eight or more years down the road — you’ll never experience another blowout or flat tire. New technology doesn’t come quickly, but Michelin is in this development for the long term.