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from the do-they-still-work-as-kid's-swings? dept.
Now, Hankook has completed initial testing on its fifth-generation airless tire, dubbed the iFlex. The tires do not require any air pressure, instead relying on a new type of eco-friendly material (Hancook demurs when asked for details). Geometric shapes built into the material provide the bounce and springiness normally provided by air pressure. But, unlike the previous iFlex, this version's designed to mount onto a traditional rim, making it compatible with current vehicles.
Hankook ran the iFlex through a battery of tests to compare it to more conventional rubber, measuring durability, hardness, stability, slalom and speed, at up to 80 mph. The company says the tires matched conventional tires in terms of performance.
Anyone who got a flat from the epidemic of potholes this Spring or who is plagued by nails and other road debris that cause slow leaks will welcome this development. Naturally, the real question is whether it's spelled, "tire" or "tyre."
Original Submission
(Score: 2) by zocalo on Thursday July 16 2015, @08:53AM
Where things come unstuck is when that doesn't apply for some reason: you hit some debris and get more than one flat, or a tyre blows and causes other damage to the vehicle, you don't have all the necessary tools (or the spare), or one of the many other corner cases. It's even worse if you have run-flats since you almost certainly won't have a spare so a major blow-out will require third party involvement in the form of a tow-truck or someone to deliver a new tyre, and even if you just get a low pressure alarm you are still limited in terms of range and speed - all of which is compounded if it's late at night or you are in a remote location and help/spares are not readily available.
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!