There are few things in a motorist's life more demoralising than pulling over to the side of the road and finding that one of your tyres has suddenly emptied itself of air.
In the old days this would mean a lengthy battle with a bottle jack and a spare wheel, invariably in the pouring rain. These days, with car manufacturers increasingly ditching spare wheels to bring down their fleet CO2 averages, it means a lengthy wait for the breakdown van to arrive.
Thankfully, Bridgestone have come up with a design for a new type of tyre which could put an end to punctures. Called the Air-Free Concept Tyre, Bridgestone's new invention prevents the unexpected loss of air from the tyre by not having air in it in the first place.
Instead, there's an intricate network of plastic spokes which supports the outer casing of the tyre. The spokes are made from a high-tech thermoplastic which not only solves the problem of punctures, but is also recyclable, making the tyre more environmentally-friendly.
Unfortunately, it's just a concept at this stage; however, Bridgestone has announced its intention to start on-road trials next year.
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