Flying cars. It still seems a bit like science fiction, but serious work is now being done on all sides. Goodyear, the tyre specialist, would also like to do its bit. It has designed a tyre that should help cars fly.
The airless tyre, called Goodyear AERO, is a two-in-one tyre designed for the autonomous, flying cars of the future. The tyre could serve as both a tyre to drive on the road, and a 'propeller' to fly through the air.
Features
"For more than 120 years, Goodyear has obsessively pursued innovation and invention, partnering with the pioneers who drive change and discovery in transportation," said "
Chris Helsel, Chief Technology Officer at Goodyear. "As mobility companies increasingly seek airborne solutions in response to the challenges of urban transport, we as tyre specialists set to work on the design of the Aero; a tyre that can be used on the road as well as in the air."
The AERO has been given a number of specialist features, according to a Goodyear press release:
- Multimodal design: The AERO is a multimodal tilt-rotor concept. In its traditional orientation, the tyre would be used as a drive unit to transfer and absorb forces to and from the road. In another orientation, it would serve as a drive system to provide lift in the air. On suitable vehicles, the AERO would give commuters of the future the freedom to seamlessly transition from road to air.
- Non-pneumatic structure: The spokes of the concept would provide support to carry the weight of the vehicle and act as propeller blades to provide lift when the tyre is tilted. This unique airless tyre uses a non-pneumatic structure that is flexible enough to absorb road shocks and strong enough to rotate at the high speeds required to create vertical lift.
- Magnetic propulsion: the AERO concept would use magnetic force to provide frictionless propulsion. This would enable the high rotational speeds required to drive the vehicle on the ground and, when the wheel is tilted, lift a vehicle into the air and propel it forward.
- Optical sensing: The AERO would use light-based fibre-optic sensors to monitor road conditions, tyre wear and the structural integrity of the tyre itself.
- Artificial intelligence: The concept would also feature a built-in AI processor that combines information from the tyre's sensors with data from vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. The AI processor would analyse these data streams and recommend certain actions. This would allow the vehicle to adapt to flight or driving mode. In addition, the processor would identify potential tyre problems and resolve them before they occur.
Although the AERO is a purely conceptual design, it does incorporate technologies such as a non-pneumatic structure and intelligent tyre capabilities, which are already being developed by Goodyear today. currently under development. Others could potentially form the basis for new ideas and new products in the future .
Goodyear has developed the concept specifically to start the debate on tyres and transport technologies for a new mobility ecosystem.
Click on the image below to watch a promotional video of the AERO:
Source: Goodyear.
