Tyre manufacturer Goodyear recently unveiled a series of new tyres at the2018 Geneva International Motor Show. The tyres are poised to become a visionary solution for cleaner, more convenient, safer and more sustainable urban mobility.
The concept, named Oxygene, has a unique structure that features living moss growing within the sidewall. This open structure and the tyre’s smart tread design absorb and circulate moisture and water from the road surface, allowing photosynthesis to occur and therefore releasing oxygen into the air.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) more than 80% of people who live in air pollution-measured urban areas are exposed to air quality levels that exceed WHO limits.
“With more than two-thirds of the world population expected to live in cities by 2050, the demands on transport networks in urban environments will increase substantially,” said Chris Delaney, President of Goodyear Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Smarter, greener infrastructure and transport will be crucial in addressing the most pressing challenges of urban mobility and development.”
Inspired by the principles of the circular economy, with emphasis on reducing material waste, emissions, and energy loss, Goodyear’s Oxygene concept is designed to integrate seamlessly into future city scapes, featuring several performance solutions:cleaning the air we breathe, recycling worn tyres, generating its own electricity and communicating at the speed of light.
“Like the concept designs Goodyear has presented at Geneva in the past, Oxygene is meant to challenge our thinking and help drive the debate around smart, safe and sustainable future mobility,” Delaney said. “By contributing in this way to cleaner air generation, the tyre could help enhance quality of life and health for city-dwellers.”
(RJA)
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