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Michelin's airless tires are scheduled for market launch in 2024

interestingengineering.com

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Re: Michelin's airless tires are scheduled for market launch in 2024

#101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because traditional tires wear down over time even if they aren’t punctured. The goal is to make ones that last longer than that. Also, airless tires are puncture proof by definition.

Airless tires will still wear out though. That’s the nature of friction with the road. The important one is: how much more durable are these compared to your normal rubber ones?

They can be re-belted like a semi truck tire, with a sacrificial wear layer on top of an airless support structure. Obviously they will still consume the rubber that wears down, but most of the tire will be reused rather than disposed of.

Re: Michelin's airless tires are scheduled for market launch in 2024

#102
post #30

That "Hit the Streets" is an exaggeration, the actual quote from the article on timeline: -- the company said they were on track for tires to reach the market by 2024. --

I think it's supposed to be taken literally, per this paragraph:

>The company recently took the Uptis out in public for the first time and even invited a limited number of people for the test drive.

Re: Michelin's airless tires are scheduled for market launch in 2024

#103
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Death on a large scale? This is the first time I’m hearing of this and I’d be interested to read more. Do you happen to have a study or something I can read?

here's something https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/36/39/2653/239823... or this https://forcetechnology.com/en/articles/traffic-noise-danger... 200-500 annual Danish deaths related to road noise pollution. Thats more than the number of people killed in traffic yearly.

I'm curious, how do we differentiate dying from noise pollution because you live close to a major throughway vs dying from the regular pollution that you're breathing in because you live close to a major throughway?

Re: Michelin's airless tires are scheduled for market launch in 2024

#104
post #45

>Through its Vision Concept, the company wants to make tires that are airless, rechargeable, connected, and sustainable. 1) airless, check. 2) rechargeable ?? 3) connected ?? 4) sustainable ??

#3 you'll end up paying $200/tire plus a monthly fee to use them. Upgrade to premium and get unlimited mileage plus insights on how you can be a better driver!

more like insights for your insurer on how much to jack up your premiums.

Re: Michelin's airless tires are scheduled for market launch in 2024

#105
post #45

>Through its Vision Concept, the company wants to make tires that are airless, rechargeable, connected, and sustainable. 1) airless, check. 2) rechargeable ?? 3) connected ?? 4) sustainable ??

#3 you'll end up paying $200/tire plus a monthly fee to use them. Upgrade to premium and get unlimited mileage plus insights on how you can be a better driver!

I guess as part of this subscription plan they'll call you forty five times a day trying to get you to upgrade the warranty on the tires. At least there are a lot of qualified contractors they can outsource that to!

Re: Michelin's airless tires are scheduled for market launch in 2024

#106

There have been a number of reports of components of rubber tiers being harmful to humans[1] or the broader environment[2] beyond the waste issue, would be interesting to know if these manage to improve on that. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/11/pollutin... [2] https://www.opb.org/article/2020/12/04/scientists-point-to-c...

If it's biodegradable, that would help. Only what remains of the tires ends up in landfills/recycled. The rest is a major contributor to microplastics in our oceans. The tires don't just erode into nothing. Those particles (mixed with particles from the road service) become dust that ends up in sewers when it rains, which drain to rivers, which drain to oceans. By the time the tire is used up, we're talking a sizable…

Dust generally is bad, too.

EDITING to provide source because I was downvoted. All types, including rail dust: https://www.railway-technology.com/features/feature-air-in-u...

Re: Michelin's airless tires are scheduled for market launch in 2024

#108
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Death on a large scale? This is the first time I’m hearing of this and I’d be interested to read more. Do you happen to have a study or something I can read?

here's something https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/36/39/2653/239823... or this https://forcetechnology.com/en/articles/traffic-noise-danger... 200-500 annual Danish deaths related to road noise pollution. Thats more than the number of people killed in traffic yearly.

[deleted]

Re: Michelin's airless tires are scheduled for market launch in 2024

#109
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

here's something https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/36/39/2653/239823... or this https://forcetechnology.com/en/articles/traffic-noise-danger... 200-500 annual Danish deaths related to road noise pollution. Thats more than the number of people killed in traffic yearly.

I'm curious, how do we differentiate dying from noise pollution because you live close to a major throughway vs dying from the regular pollution that you're breathing in because you live close to a major throughway?

You try to control for statistical variables like pollution, occupation, and personal habits. I don't know anything about medical statistics, so I'm just accepting the conclusions of the road noise research.

This paper should be helpful if you want to dig into the methodology one can use.

https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/32/6/737/497025

Re: Michelin's airless tires are scheduled for market launch in 2024

#110

There have been a number of reports of components of rubber tiers being harmful to humans[1] or the broader environment[2] beyond the waste issue, would be interesting to know if these manage to improve on that. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/11/pollutin... [2] https://www.opb.org/article/2020/12/04/scientists-point-to-c...

If it's biodegradable, that would help. Only what remains of the tires ends up in landfills/recycled. The rest is a major contributor to microplastics in our oceans. The tires don't just erode into nothing. Those particles (mixed with particles from the road service) become dust that ends up in sewers when it rains, which drain to rivers, which drain to oceans. By the time the tire is used up, we're talking a sizable…

Has anyone done analysis on microplastics to figure out what percentage are from vulcanized rubber? It's probably a high percentage, but would be nice to have an actual scientific study on the figure.
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