Under-inflated tires could lead to a chain of problems. Not only the tires will wear out quicker, it will also cause higher fuel consumptions and the worst bit, blowing them up as the tires heat up or get unseated from the rims. These are some serious problems that driver should be aware of all the time, but yet Goodyear says that most drivers only check the tire pressure for about once a year.
As an ingenious solution to this problem, Goodyear has been developing the self-inflating tire technology called the “Air Maintenance Technology” since 2011. They are actually making a great progress as the new tires will be ready for field-testing next year not only for passenger cars, but also for the heavy duty commercial trucks.
This “Air Maintenance Technology” is not actually rocket science, and it is quite easy to understand. The whole technology goes through a three-part system, where it starts with the internal regulator sensing whether the pressure inside a tire is normal or too low. Once the regulator detects a low pressure reading, a valve opens up, allowing a tube inside the tire that gets compressed during rotation to pump more air into the tire. The valve will then close up once it reaches the desired pressure.
Despite the trials moving on to larger, heavier vehicles, Goodyear quickly points out that the tire development for these types of vehicle will be a challenge for them. Truckers cover much more road annually compared to the average motorist, and the data collected between them will be significantly different; which on a plus side benefits Goodyear as the data will also be available immediately.
