Michelin New Tires: No More Punctures
Michelin took part in the forum of innovative automotive technologies on May, 18-22 in Berlin and has unveiled there its self-repairing passenger tire. The exhibition visitors could see the tire run over several sharp studs measuring 20 mm in height and still be able to go on running as if nothing had happened.
There was a sound of the tire resisting tearing followed by the sound of tearing rubber as the tire went over each of the three studs, one after another. It proved that it had actual punctures yet there was no fizzing after it, even a short one. Moreover, the air pressure in the tire remained the same before and after the experiment. The manometer showed that it lost not a single tenth of an atmosphere.
The secret of the self-regenerating tire hides in its 2-mm flexible sticky layer that covers the inner part of the tread surface. The layer is made from a specially designed substance that starts working immediately after the puncture and blocks it thus preventing air from leaking. The driver isn’t likely to learn about his “catching” a nail or any other sharp object.
One of the main issues that the tire developers had to cope with is how to make this sticky substance retain even distribution over the inner tread during long-term parking. Anyhow, even this problem was solved and the tire didn’t show any “whims” in various temperature conditions.
The maximum diameter of the hole subject to mending is 6 millimeters while 98 per cent of punctures don’t exceed 5 millimeters in diameter. The Achilles heel is the tire sidewalls that are not reinforced with the sticker, yet Michelin claims that it is tire tread that gets 95 per cent of possible tire damage.
The self-mending tire is going to hit the markets in a 2-4-year term. Then you’ll no longer need either a spare wheel or a jack, which will reduce your car’s weight and hence will help you save on fuel.
World Tour in an Electric Car Fitted with Continental Tires
As the first world tour on an electric vehicle is going towards its successful ending the travelers, Nina Rasmussen and Hjalte Tin, decided to visit Continental headquarters for it is Continental tires that were mounted on the wheel of the car that was used in the journey.
Nissan Qashqai electric vehicle with the ContiPremiumContact 2 tire, for low rolling resistance is vital for such cars. The tire was designed in a scientific research center in Hannover. It is not only low rolling resistant but is also durable and can easily stand to any harmful influence from the outside. That’s why the tire coped with the world-wide tour perfectly well.
Nina Rasmussen and Hjalte Tin have been on the road for ten month already. They started their journey in Denmark and went further through Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Russia, Mongolia, China, the USA, Spain, France, the Switzerland, Germany and Holland to reach Copenhagen in the end.
As the vehicle has rather a limited mileage, only 200 km, the main difficulty of the trip was to avoid battery discharging far from electricity supply. The Ttravellers had to draw their plan carefully and charge their vehicle in garages, campings, hotels and even in private houses.
The main purpose of the tour was to promote hybrid vehicles and to show the community that “green” cars can be an excellent alternative means transport that helps people save the environment and avoid climate changes.
Bridgestone Conducts the Research at the CV Show
Bridgestone Company has conducted a survey concerning the most important factors customers stick to when choosing a tire brand. At the CV Show they offered everyone the possibility to win two tickets to the British MotoGP championship provided that they answer a simple question – “what makes you trust this or that tire manufacturer?”
The survey was quite a success for as many as five hundred visitors took part in it. The results are as follows: thirty-nine per cent of people pay most attention to the tire wear resistance and quality. These parameters leave behind such characteristics as price, traction, safety and affordability, which gave tire-makers food for thought.
As Andy Dingley point out, Bridgestone UK company is satisfied with the popularity of its stand gained during the CV show. And the survey results are of a great interest as they help the company understand what customers want from the tire-making industry.
Bridgestone has also unveiled its new Ecopia line-up at the show. The tires are designed for commercial use on in city vans and help transport companies save on fuel thanks to their low rolling resistance. The tires inflict minimum harm of the environment, feature long mileage and can be retreaded when significantly worn.
No Sexy Girls at Auto Shows
It’s common knowledge that any auto or motor show isn’t only sparkling with new car models but presupposes attractive girls all about, walking among the rows of cars and sitting inside them. They make such shows lively and create festive mood, bringing a human touch to the silent grandeur of new vehicles.
At the same time, the representatives of the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung who organize an auto show in Frankfurt in September think differently. Now they are trying to persuade the participants to come without sexy girls.
The arguments for it are quite reasonable. The half-naked beauties on the stands distract visitors’ attention from the cars and prevent car-makers from presenting their production. They say that people pay their attention to girls rather than to technological peculiarities and performance features of the new vehicles.
Furthermore, there’s been a great deal of complaint from women rights organizations who state that half-dressed girls who show off their sexuality at auto shows speak for the evident discrimination of females. The latest research into the issue was carried out last autumn in Paris. It showed that in 96 per cent of cases it was women who stood on exhibition stands beside the cars, 3,5 per cent of stands were occupied by men and 0.5 per cent of places were taken by transvestites.
The show organizers have already worked out the rules for its future participants. There must be both men and women on the exhibitions stands, with a 50 to 50 ratio. Moreover, girls must stick to a strict dress code and wear moderate knee-length skirts. The theme of sexuality must no longer be exploited, state the organizers.
