From the house of Michelin, puncture proof tyres are here to change the future
Imagine you are out on the highway on a road trip with your family in a car or riding a motorcycle with friends to Leh & Ladakh. Suddenly, your car or motorcycle has a flat tyre and your joyous frame of mind is disrupted. Every moment a driver or rider is out on the highway, the fear of a flat tyre is a constant companion. However, it seems the days of dealing with a flat tyre will be over in no time. Thanks to Michelin and their collaborative endeavours with automobile giant General Motors, the world now has tyres that will never go flat.
Together, the corporations have come up with a new tyre technology that will have no air inside. Yes, you read that right! Tyres without air so there will not be any air loss and therefore, the tyres will remain puncture proof. The companies have named this contemporary technology as UPTIS and without wasting more words, allow us to inform you about this new tech from the automotive field.
UPTIS- The Unique Punctureproof Tire System or UPTIS has been developed by Michelin and General Motors to eliminate flat tyres or blowouts from the face of the earth. As per Michelin, around 200 million tyres are scrapped because of blowouts or they wear out because of shoddy maintenance. For these reasons, an enormous number of natural resources (rubber) are wasted all over the world. With the new tyre technology, the two companies wish to cut down the pollution and wastage.
Not to overlook, the leading intention behind the development of the unique technology is to eradicate blowouts or flat tyres. Remember that flat tyres or blowouts at excessive speed or on irregular terrain contribute to fatal accidents. Keeping those scenarios in mind, the UPTIS has been developed, which is a tyre that does not consist of air. Instead, the tyre comprises three components such as rubber (for tread), aluminium (for wheel) and fibreglass prepared from embedded resin.
So far, the UPTIS has been tested on a fleet of Chevrolet Bolt EV in the metropolis of Michigan. The results have been splendid, but the contemporary technology may run into numerous challenges while braking, accelerating and shock-absorbing in the long run. At present, the UPTIS is solely a prototype, but it is expected to touch the commercial market in the year 2024. To have a peep of the upcoming punctureproof UPTIS, click here.
