Michelin see-thru tires

I got an email the other day and was wondering if anyone can prove or disprove it. Michelin R&D has come up with a see-thru tire. It's only resemblence to a tire is the fact that it is round and mounted on the rim. The tire does not hold air and it is only a couple inches thick. The innovative part is that it is build with these flexible rubber "spokes" that if you run over the curb, will flex with the surface and not damage the tire. They showed a picture of them on a car at 60mph and you can see through the tire. They are supposed to start putting these on cars by 2009 or 2010.

[Eddylizard]

Seems to have some substance. This from Michelin's website. Apparently they have been dubbed "tweels".

A quick google on "michelin tweels" brings up a number of sites. Here's one with some good pictures.

Some more from Michelin.

Yeah, those pictures have been out for a few years at least. I think it's pretty cool--no more having to deal with flat tires. I'm wondering if we'll realistically start seeing them around anytime soon.

[Brad from Georgia]

Cool! We'll be able to have that neat illusion you used to get in Westerns that the wagon wheels were turning backwards....or will we? Digital video may take all the fun out of it.

I would have guess that airless tires were not true. I am really surprised that those are real.

I think the best thing about them would be not having to check your air pressure. I check mine once every few months, and it's one of those things I just hate doing.

[White Canvas]

This sounds cool as far as technology is concerned, but will people buy a clear tire? I think it would be hard to change the "tires are black" mindset.

[inkrose115]

Originally Posted by White Canvas

This sounds cool as far as technology is concerned, but will people buy a clear tire? I think it would be hard to change the "tires are black" mindset.

As a horrible 3d modeler, I quake in my boots. Luckily I'll be off doing 2D Flash work by the time these puppies are commonplace.

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by White Canvas

This sounds cool as far as technology is concerned, but will people buy a clear tire? I think it would be hard to change the "tires are black" mindset.

We got over it pretty well when whitewall tyres became obsolete.

I think it'll be a while if ever before they become mainstream. Michelin seem to be targeting the concept at the construction, quarry etc vehicle where one can see the advantages.

But who knows with those crazy French?

I read an article a ways back saying that there are a couple of problems that need to be solved (if they haven't already). This coming from memory so I could be screwing something up.

First problem is that tweels vibrate a lot when travelling over 50mph. This also is probably linked to the other problem which is that tweels have a lot of road noise. This is going to be tough to fix as the open design lets more noise out and they probably give a whirring noise like an exhaust fan.

They might have fixed these problems as I didn't see any mention of noise or vibrations in their releases. But these problems might be why they are starting with things that don't need to move that fast such as construction or military vehicles and wheelchairs.

[Thebobo]

Originally Posted by White Canvas

This sounds cool as far as technology is concerned, but will people buy a clear tire? I think it would be hard to change the "tires are black" mindset.

It won't work. Remember Pepsi Clear? How about Clear Beer.

Wikipedia has a page on tweels.

Law enforcement would have to find a new way to stop vehicles equipped with these. Spike strips and stop sticks wouldn't do jack.

[Salamander]

Originally Posted by PrometheusX303

Wikipedia has a page on tweels.

Law enforcement would have to find a new way to stop vehicles equipped with these. Spike strips and stop sticks wouldn't do jack.

Bah... easy... it'd be the same method that childhood bullies have used to stop cyclists for ages. Shove a stick between the spokes!

Sure, it'll be a little bit harder to do that with a vehicle travelling at 100+mph but that's why police receive training.

[mags]

When I showed the pictures a while ago to my SO, he was of the opinion that the prototypes are (or at least should be) a cut-away look of what the finished tire will look like.

If they actually are intended to be open, with the spokes exposed, I would think a whole host of problems would be opened up. I wouldn't think that getting mud and gravel in there would help the spokes' durability.

The tires don't need to be air-filled to need sides to keep crap out.

[Gavida]

Originally Posted by Eddylizard

A quick google on "michelin tweels" brings up a number of sites. Here's one with some good pictures.

What made me laugh in the thread from the above link was this comment:

Kudos to Michelin. A well run American Co. kickin azz, and treating it's employees right, in a great city. Bib's the man!!!!

I guess it would break that posters heart if I told him that Michelin is french

Gavida

[Spikey]

They'll probably end up with discs covering them, sort of like this.

Another opportunity for advertisements/car brand stamp there, too.

[UEL]

I seriously wonder how these tires will work in winter conditions. After all, during the coldest of January, it is not uncommon for my air filled tires to maintain their shape for the first five minutes of driving (ie, one side of the tire remains slightly flat due to it sitting in that position for the night).

Secondly, aquaplaning is a major concern here in New Brunswick, with at least a dozen accidents every spring attributed to this phenomenon. Can this tire move without aquaplaning?

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by UEL

I seriously wonder how these tires will work in winter conditions. After all, during the coldest of January, it is not uncommon for my air filled tires to maintain their shape for the first five minutes of driving (ie, one side of the tire remains slightly flat due to it sitting in that position for the night).

Secondly, aquaplaning is a major concern here in New Brunswick, with at least a dozen accidents every spring attributed to this phenomenon. Can this tire move without aquaplaning?

Winter conditions - don't know.

As for aquaplaning it's the tread on the exterior of a conventional pneumatic tyre that disperses water to reduce the likelyhood of aquaplaning (but not able to eliminate it completely.) The exterior rim of the tweel is similarly treaded, so it should be able to disperse water just as efficiently.