Last updated on September 18, 2024
Airless tire technology has been in development my entire life. I first read about it in 1973 when it was a new development set to revolutionize the automotive industry. While offering numerous advantages, airless technology proved far more challenging to bring to market than anticipated. Michelin recently took a significant step toward releasing an automotive airless tire with public testing of the Uptis prototype. Until now, airless tires have been available only for utility applications such as lawn care equipment and forklifts. The Uptis prototype was fitted to a MINI that was test-driven on public roads by automotive reviewers. It is good to see progress on this long-gestating technology. I would love to see Michelin offer trailer tires as their next product. Who hasn’t experienced a flat trailer tire at the worst possible time?
