Goodyear working on self-inflating tyres

The auto industry's efforts to increase fuel economy and reduce emissions may pay off with the development of self-inflating tyres. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co said it was experimenting with what it calls Air Maintenance Technology, which will enable tyres to remain inflated at the optimum pressure without the need for external pumps or electronics. All components of the AMT system will be fully contained within the tyre. The company said on Thursday it had a $1.5 million (Dh5.5 million) grant from the Department of Energy to launch a demonstration of the system in commercial truck tyres. The government of Luxembourg is paying for the company to conduct similar research for consumer tyres at Goodyear's Innovation Centre in Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg. "While the technology is complex, the idea behind the AMT system is relatively simple and powered by the tyre itself as it rolls down the road," said Jean-Claude Kihn, Goodyear senior vice-president and chief technical officer.