Tyre manufacturer Goodyear is experimenting with two concept tyres designed with autonomous cars in mind.
The Eagle 360 is shaped like a sphere and would rely on a magnetic levitation system to suspend the car.
Unlike an ordinary tyre, it can move in any direction so a car would be able to move sideways into a tight car parking space.
The 3D printed tread mimics the pattern of brain coral and behaves like a natural sponge, so it is designed to stiffen in dry conditions and soften when wet to deliver improved driving performance and aquaplaning resistance.
Embedded sensors allow the tyre to communicate road and weather conditions to the vehicle control system and other nearby cars, while tread and tire pressure monitoring technology regulate even wear across the the surface of the sphere to extend mileage.
The other tyre, the IntelliGrip, is less futuristic. It is designed to communicate with autonomous vehicle control systems, like the Eagle 360, sensing road surface and weather conditions as well as pressure and temperature. In slippery conditions, it can tell the vehicle control system to adjust its speed and braking or cornering responses.
The company is working with a number of vehicle manufacturers to further adapt this technology to their needs, enhancing connectivity with features such as Electronic Stability Control Systems, Brake Control Systems and Suspension Control Systems.
“By steadily reducing the driver interaction and intervention in self-driving vehicles, tyres will play an even more important role as the primary link to the road,” said Goodyear Chief Technical Officer Joseph Zekoski.
“Goodyear’s concept tyres play a dual role in that future both as creative platforms to push the boundaries of conventional thinking and testbeds for next-generation technologies.”
Zekoski says, although the two tyres are future concepts, they represent an essential aspect of the company's innovation strategy and its vision for smart and safe mobility.
An artist's illustration of the Eagle 360 spherical tyres in a car. Image: Goodyear