JTA, Goodyear Roll Out Airless Tires For Autonomous Test Shuttle

JTA and Goodyear said the airless tires on the Olli mark the first time that an NPT and wheel assembly to support autonomous vehicle transportation has been rolled out in a city setting for in-field use.

Goodyear has developed Airless Tyres, to support autonomous vehicle transportation in the city setting as the urban environment provide an ideal situation for testing such tyres as speeds are lower. Goodyear has been experimenting with these Airless tires and wheel assembly for the last three years now, in collaboration with local motors.

This experiment is happening on the autonomous 3D-printed electric shuttle Olli 2.0 from Phoenix, Arizona-based motor vehicle company Local Motors. This research, conducted at Goodyear testing facilities and other locations, focused on load, speed and durability.

This testing phase will provide more information about airless tires. The idea behind this research is that Goodyear is expecting that these tyres will be maintenance-free and sustainable.

Goodyear and Local Motors will gather experience data from the JTA. Later, they will further explore different elements such as ride comfort, noise and other parameters.

Now Goodyear is testing its airless tyres in Jacksonville, Florida. 

“As mobility evolves, we feel that tires can transform the way we move and alternative airless architectures are ideal, particularly in the emerging autonomous transportation environment,” said Michael Rachita, Goodyear’s senior program manager, non-pneumatic tyres. “This is an important milestone as we look to advance mobility today and as we look to introduce the first completely sustainable and maintenance-free tires by the end of the decade.”