New Technology on the Tires

In the days before full-service gas stations, the attendant would sometimes check the tire pressure. These days that task, along with actually pumping the fuel, has totally fallen back on the driver, but it’s a job that is easily overlooked. This leaves many people driving around on tires at less than optimal pressure resulting in reduced performance and fuel economy.

Now the world tire manufacturers Goodyear, developed tire with the latest technology that is Air Maintenance Technolgy (AMT). As reported by Gizmag, AMT is a system that automatically maintains pressure on the tires without the aid of additional pumps and electronic devices. Since all components necessary for it is already in the tire itself and the company is now set to debut the technology in Germany.

Goodyear's Air Maintenance Technology (AMT) system. (Picture from: http://www.gizmag.com/)

The core of the system is an internal regulator that can detect when the air pressure drops below a predetermined pressure, then opens to allow air from outside entering through the pump tube. The air is then pushed through the tube to the valve inlet and eventually flows into the cavity through the deformation of the tire while it is running in the streets.

Goodyear is initially aiming its AMT system at commercial vehicle fleet operators, citing 2008 figures from the American Trucking Association that more than half of all truck and trailer breakdowns for such operators involve a tire in some way, making tire-related costs the single largest maintenance item for fleet owners. The simple act of keeping tires properly inflated can cut costs by improving fuel economy and prolonging tread life.

Goodyear will debut its self-inflating technology for commercial tires at the 2012 Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) Commercial Vehicle Show running in Hanover, Germany, until September 27, 2012. *** [GIZMAG | GOOD YEAR | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 28092012]

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