TOKYO: Makers of airless tires such as Japan's Bridgestone Corp. hope driverless cars will herald a breakthrough for their niche technology, which is more than a decade old but underperforms standard tires in every way except resistance to puncture.
"In the age of shared, autonomous vehicles, it will be the opposite, and preventing breakdowns will be a top priority." Toyota Group truckmaker Hino Motors Ltd used the motor show to display a vision of the future where electric, modular, people-to-parcel movers run on airless tires of its own design. Toyota Motor Corp showed a hydrogen-powered concept car fitted with Sumitomo Rubber Industries prototypes at the previous event in 2017.Michelin and General Motors Co have announced a joint research agreement aiming to have airless tires on passenger cars by as early as 2024.
EV manufacturers also hope that airless tires will in the future weigh less than their standard cousins, allowing crucial extra kilometers of driving range given consumer concerns about running out of power far from the nearest charging station.