Debut Of Goodyear Self-Inflating Technology For Commercial Tires

Over the past year, researchers at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company have been working on an air maintenance technology application which may potentially improve performance by eliminating need for external inflation pressure intervention. The commercial application of Goodyear's Air Maintenance Technology will make its debut at the 2012 Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover, Germany.

Tire-related costs are the single largest maintenance item for commercial vehicle fleet operators with more than 50 percent of all truck and trailer breakdowns involving a tire in some way. The manufacturer's Air Maintenance Technology mechanism purportedly allows tires to maintain constant, optimum pressure without the use of external pumps, electronics, and driver intervention.

Prototype tires have been produced in Goodyear's Topeka manufacturing plant in Kansas, and testing has confirmed that the AMT pumping mechanism works. An extensive fleet trial is planned to gather real-world information from customers in 2013.

A $1.5 million grant from The United States Department of Energy's Office (DOE) of Vehicle Technology is helping speed up research, development, and demonstration of the AMT system for commercial vehicle tires. A grant from the Luxembourg government for research and development will continue to help fund the manufacturer's efforts in researching and developing the system for consumer tires.

Proper tire inflation can result in improved fuel economy, prolonged tread life, and optimized tire performance. Users of this new technology are promised to receive the following key benefits from Air Maintenance Technology-enabled tires:

Improved Fuel Economy - It is estimated that for every 10 psi lost in tire inflation, there is a one percent loss in miles per gallon. While one percent may seem insignificant, it could cost a truck owner over $627.00 in fuel, based on a vehicle that has a fuel consumption of 6.6 miles per gallon, runs 100,000 miles a year with a diesel fuel price of $4.10 per gallon.
Prolonged Tread Life - Tires which are under-inflated by ten percent decrease tread life by 9-16 percent.
Optimized Performance - Properly inflated tires are also necessary to keep a vehicle's handling performance at optimal levels. Under-inflation means less evenly distributed pressure on the road. It also reduces the tread area that is in direct contact with the road and can impact the integrity of the tire casing, which is key to the retreading process.