Goodyear developing special tires for self-drive vehicles

Tire manufacturer Goodyear is developing two tires which are specifically designed for autonomous vehicles. The American company presented the innovation at a car show in Geneva, Switzerland. The tires have a customized profile, and are able to communicate with other technology in the vehicle about, for example, weather conditions.

The two types of tire are the Eagle 360 and the Intelligrip. The former promises to be the most spectacular; with a customized tire profile, the vehicle can move easily in any direction, facilitating manoeuvring, parking and navigation in tight spaces.

Sponge

The tread is designed to behave like a sponge. In dry conditions it is stiff, but becomes softer in wet conditions in order to give improved protection against, for example, aquaplaning. In addition, it has in-built sensors which can send information through to the vehicle itself about road and weather conditions.

The second type, the Intelligrip, also has sensors and can control its own pressure. This allows the tires to adapt to changing road and weather conditions. This optimizes grip, traction and stability when cornering.