Goodbye, potholes: GM to test airless, puncture-proof Michelin tire prototype
General Motors plans to give car buyers an airless tire on vehicles starting in 2024.
The automaker is teaming with Michelin and this week introduced the Michelin Uptis prototype at the Movin' On Summit for sustainability in Montreal. Uptis stands for Unique Puncture-proof Tire System, GM said.
GM will start real-world testing of the prototype tires later this year on a Michigan test fleet of the Chevrolet Bolt electric cars.
GM said the airless technology means the prototype will not get flats or blowouts. In turn, that could mean less use of raw materials and waste, contributing to GM's refrain of its vision for a world with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion.
The tires should also last longer than a regular tire, GM said, because it would eliminate irregular wear and tear caused by over- or underinflation.
The tire is "a great example of how our customers benefit when we collaborate and innovate with our supplier partners," said Steve Kiefer, GM's senior vice president of Global Purchasing and Supply Chain.
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Follow Detroit Free Press reporter Jamie L. LaReau on Twitter @jlareauan.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Goodbye, potholes: GM to test airless, puncture-proof Michelin tire prototype
