When Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva tragically died in a car crash in Spain in early July. Tyre safety once again became a prominent subject discussed in the automotive industry. As the official investigation confirmed the cause of the accident was a tyre blowout.
There is no doubt that tyre safety is taken very seriously throughout the European and global tyre industry However it is universally considered that responsibility for the safe condition of tyres is the direct responsibility of drivers. Bearing this fact in mind Tyre.Media has recently researched why tyres fail and what are the latest technological advancements taking place to further improve tyre safety.
Blown tyres are usually caused by a combination of wear, pressure issues and road conditions with one of the most common reasons being under-inflation with low pressure resulting in excessive flexing and heat build-up that weakens the tyre’s structure. Also, over-inflated tyres cause too much pressure that stresses the outer rubber exposing the tyre to the risk of bursting.
Other common causes include excessive tyre wear leading to cracks and bulges which significantly reduces durability and incorrect wheel alignment causing uneven wear. Whilst overloading and exceeding the tyre’s load rating also puts additional stress on the rubber and increases heat and its worth remembering that tyres also have speed limits and ignoring them can lead to overheating and failure.
When it comes to future technological advancements in tyre safety. Tyre.Media discovered a series of encouraging proposed developments such as a new era of Smart tyres incorporating embedded sensors to monitor pressure, temperature and tread depth in real time, integration with vehicles systems enabling predictive maintenance and alerts for wear and damage.
Also, 3D-printed tyres and customised tread patterns are currently being investigated and trialled to create on-demand tyre manufacturing that adapts to different road conditions and driving styles.
Whilst innovative self-healing materials and nano-compounds are currently being researched to increase tyre lifespan and reduce failure risks. Plus, tyre manufacturers are also changing production methods and using bio-based materials including guayule and dandelion rubber, recycled plastics and plant-based oils to further reduce environmental impact.
Looking further into the future of tyre safety, research is already being considered into the possibility of ‘self-inflating tyres’ which would automatically maintain a level of optimal pressure through onboard compressors therefore virtually eliminating the risk of under and over inflation. Also, the production of Airless (non-pneumatic) tyres is also being seriously considered which would eliminate blowouts.
Airless tyres would consist of a rigid internal structure possibly a honeycomb or spoke like design that would support a vehicles weight. There is no doubt that if the above technological developments become an everyday reality, then tyres will be a lot safer in the future.
