Globally acclaimed vehicle tire manufacturing company Goodyear has conceptualized 3D printed spherical tires for all future high end cars. Car wheels are something that we see, use and know from heart. Then what’s the point of re-inventing something which is already being invented? Well, the concept of cars have changed manifold times and now a car is no less than a high tech computer. The wheel conceptualized by Goodyear is known as Eagle 360. The wheel tires will be spherical instead of circular. The 3D printed spherical tires will work on a different approach. The tires can be customized depending on the driving landscape, the weather conditions, location, driving habits and many more factors.
The 3D printed spherical tires, unlike normal car tires, will be connected to the car by magnetic levitation. Magnetic levitation helps the tire to remain suspended from the cars by the aid of powerful magnetic fields. Goodyear has also planned to incorporate special safety measures to handle the drive in wet roads. The sphere has sponge like grooves designed by biomimicry inspired designs.
When the car travels on wet roads, the grooves soften to create deeper grooves so that aquaplaning resistance developed can fetch the spherical tires stronger grip on wet roads and at the same time inject out the water owing to the centrifugal force. The groove designs are flexible and the grooves stiffen while rolling on dry roads in order to deliver better performance. The car will be fitted with a layer of foam that ensures a larger contact patch on the road.
The cars have Active technology that enables smooth travel, overtake vehicles without the need of changing directions. Specially designed sensors detect the road and weather conditions and adjust the speed of the cars. The 3D printed spherical cars will be used by self-driving cars. This means a higher level of safety incorporated for non-drivers.
