Remember the Audi in I, Robot? Goodyear is showing a tyre that it could use if it was real
Published On 03-Jun-2016
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Spherical shaped Goodyear Eagle-360[/caption]
There is a lot going on at the ongoing Geneva Motor Show. Many prestigious car manufacturers choose this event to showcase their latest offerings. Tyre manufacturer Goodyear also saw this as a great platform to unveil its revolutionary concept tyre, the Eagle-360.
The most unique thing about it is the shape itself - it is a sphere. Showcased at the Goodyear hall is the 3-D printed model of the concept that presents long-term vision of future mobility. A future when autonomous driving is expected to be more mainstream.
As per the report released by Navigant Research, 85 million autonomous-capable vehicles are expected to be sold annually around the world by 2035. JD Power 2015 US Tech looked at the present view of self-driving cars and found that consumers are most concerned with ensuring safety through technology in autonomous cars.
Goodyear's Eagle-360 concept shows company's vision for tyres playing a part in delivering greater safety assurance and, as a result, opening up the market for autonomous vehicles.
“By steadily reducing the driver interaction and intervention in self-driving vehicles, tyres will play an even more important role as the primary link to the road,” said Joseph Zekoski, Goodyear’s senior vice president and chief technical officer.
He added, “Goodyear’s concept tires play a dual role in the future both as creative platforms to push the boundaries of conventional thinking and as test beds for next-generation technologies.”
Goodyear says that the Eagle-360's shape could contribute to safety and maneuverability to meet the demands of autonomous vehicles. It would help in slippery conditions like black ice as the multi-oriented tyres could move in all directions. Moreover, a car could move around an obstacle without changing its driving direction. Spherical shape will also allow motorists to tackle parking constrictions as less space will be required to maneuver in and out of parking spots.