Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (Bridgestone) is showcasing its advanced air-free commercial truck tire concept for the heavy-duty trucking market at the 2020 Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition in Atlanta.
Bridgestone says the air-free commercial truck tire concept, designed to be used in high-speed, long-haul applications, leverages a proprietary design where tire tread is placed on a structure of high-strength, flexible spokes, eliminating the need for a tire to be filled and maintained with air.
The initial design of the Bridgestone advanced air-free commercial truck tire concept is intended for the trailer position. Reported data from tire manufacturers shows trailer tires account for approximately 20% of truck tire purchases; furthermore, research indicates 40% of all tire failures occur in the trailer position, Bridgestone says.
The advanced air-free commercial truck tire concept from Bridgestone is also engineered for enhanced sustainability, the company says. The air-free commercial tire solution is designed to be retreadable.
The advanced air-free commercial truck tire concept is part of a larger Bridgestone air-free portfolio, including solutions for personal mobility, such as bicycles and small electric vehicles. While the commercial truck tire concept is focused first on the trailer position, it is intended to be scalable to other commercial trucking wheel positions and applications, Bridgestone says.
