Tires Can Now Self Regenerate

Posted September 25th, 2007 by George Delozier

Our Guest Blogger, George Delozier, is from Pennsylvania and recently joined the U.S. Air Force. Growing up with all types of machines, George wanted to share the newest innovations on all things motor with the readers of InventorSpot.com.

Here's his article:

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People can go for a long time without worrying about tires, and now thanks to Michelin, they can go even longer. But these tires don't just last longer, they actually regenerate themselves. Unveiled to the public at the Great American Truck Show hosted in Dallas, the XDA5 road tire turned more than a few heads.

Michelin’s patented design and manufacturing process allows for the tread to be molded in layers. As you drive, the first layer wears off, revealing a second molding of grooves and tread blocks. This essentially allows the tire to renew it traction and be used an astonishing 30% longer, according to Michelin. This not only makes them more cost effective, but also make them safer to run under the high mileage applications they are intended for.

Michelin also redesigned the primary tread pattern used for their drive series tires. The pattern allows for interaction between all tread blocks, brining with it improved rigidity and helps to minimize irregular wear patterns normally seen on large block applications. In addition, these tires display a more than 10% wider footprint than its predecessor. This increase in width gives the tire more stability on the road and increases handling and overall performance.

Offering improved worn traction, better stability, and a longer, safer operating lifetime, the new XDA5 drive tire lives up the Michelin promise of dedication to sustainable mobility.

Michelin’s XDA5 tires are currently available for Class 8 rigs only, but will soon expand to more than 5 different applications.