The future of tires is finally here.
At the year’s Frankfurt Autoshow
Continental revealed the most innovative tire in recent memory. Thanks
to some clever engineering and electronic integration Continental’s new
tire can monitor tire health and adjust pressure all on the fly.
When it comes to fuel efficiency tires pressure is a big deal. According to recent studies,
a tire underinflated by 7.5 psi can result in a 2.8% decrease in fuel
economy. Sources further suggest that over 25% of cars on the road have
improperly inflated tires.
To increase fuel efficiency
Continental's new tire can monitor several critical parameters including
tread depth, tire integrity, and tire pressure. Continental calls this
technology suite C.A.R.E. which stands for Connected, Autonomous,
Reliable, Electrified. This complex system allows Continental's tire to
report critical data as well as monitor tire pressure to keep it within
the correct parameters.
To regulate tire pressure Continental uses
a centrifugal pump built into the wheel. This pump uses the spinning
force of the wheel to increase the tire air pressure and keep the tire
within the proper inflation spec. Continental believes this new
connected tire technology will allow for more efficient vehicles leading
to an appreciable drop in CO2 emissions.
A connect tire like this
will allow companies to eventually manage autonomous fleets of vehicles
where a driver is not able to monitor the health of tires. This smart
tire will not only help to keep cars safer but lead to more efficient
fleets of vehicles.
Besides the practical applications for efficient driving Continental
believes there is a potential to also boost a car’s performance.
Continental’s PressureBoost technology uses air to rapidly adapt the
tire pressures to various driving situations. This changes the tire from
an out of control variable to dynamically monitored part of the driving
experience.
This exciting tire technology is the next step in
tire development. With a more connected and controllable tire, we’re
sure to see some next impressive applications in both efficiency and
performance.
