You’ve circled the block three times looking for a parking place. There’s no garage so you’re forced to parallel park. Ah-ha! One space between a Lexus and BMW. Maybe, just maybe, you can squeeze in. You tug at the wheel and inch your way backwards taking care not to hit one of the luxury cars...
Goodyear looks ahead to a better way. Spherical shaped Eagle-360 tires can move backwards, forwards or sideways. The concept tires introduced at the Geneva International Motor Show earlier this month, can reshape the future for autonomous cars.
Besides outstanding maneuverability, embedded sensors in the Eagle 360 communicate road and weather conditions to the vehicle control system and even to other nearby cars. The 3D printed tread mimics the pattern of the human brain and behaves like a sponge. The tires stiffen when dry and get softer in wet conditions to deliver excellent driving performance and resistance to hydroplaning.
So buckle up and drive – well, thataway. See a demo.