goodyear re-invents the wheel with eagle 360 concept tire for autonomous cars

goodyear re-invents the wheel with eagle 360 concept tire for autonomous cars
all images courtesy of goodyear

in geneva, goodyear tire and rubber company introduced a spherical-shaped concept tire that could potentially reshape the future for autonomous cars. the ‘eagle-360’ was designed with key features of maneuverability, connectivity and biomimicry for autonomous mobility. together with the ‘intelligrip’ which features advanced sensor and treadwear patterns, goodyear hopes the concept will reach early adoption in self-driving vehicles. 

the multi-orientation of the spherical-shaped tire allows the car to move in all directions, contributing to safety for passengers, as well as coping with space limitations in urban environments where parking is tight. the embedded sensors of the ‘eagle-360’ further increase safety by communicating road and weather conditions to the vehicle’s control system and other nearby cars. it would also monitor tread and tire pressure to evenly regulate damage of the 360 degree tire to extend serviceability. 

the ‘eagle-360’ offers spherical traction 

influenced by nature, the 3D printed tread mimics the patter of brain coral and behaves like an organic sponge. the rubber is designed to stiffen in dry conditions and soften when wet to deliver reliable driving performance and aquaplaning resistance. 

the tires would levitate inside the autonomous car

‘by steadily reducing the driver interaction and intervention in self-driving vehicles, tires will play an even more important role as the primary link to the road,’ explains joseph zekoski, goodyear’s senior vice president and chief technical officer. ‘goodyear’s concept tires play a dual role in that future both as creative platforms to push the boundaries of conventional thinking and testbeds for next-generation technologies.’

it would offer larger contact patches than traditional tires  

goodyear would apply different patterns for varied road conditions