Hankook Tire & Technology showcased its non-pneumatic tire (NPT) ‘i-Flex’ in a joint entry with Hyundai Motor Company at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which was held last week.
CES is the world's largest consumer technology event, and at it, Hyundai unveiled the Plug & Drive (PnD) Module for the first time. Hankook Tire's i-Flex was fitted to demonstrate what the PnD module can do.
The i-Flex is a futuristic non-pneumatic concept tire featuring biomimetic design. It is 10-inch in size with a diameter of 400mm and a width of 105mm. The tyres don't require air, which means they better handle punctures, and don't require air pressure maintenance, making them ideal for self-driving vehicles. There's a safety advantage too, as there's no risk of explosive decompression if a sharp object punctures the outer layer of the tyre. This explains why GM and Michelin are also interested in the technology.
It was developed through rigorous biomimetic studies and testing, and design was inspired by the cell structure of living organisms. It features a multi-layer interlocking spoke which allows for better shock absorption more stable load support.
The threaded spoke structure lets the tyre handle movement in both directions, rather than just forward. This comes in handy with Hyundai’s Plug & Drive (PnD) module, which is designed to enable the Mobility of Things business model that Hyundai unveiled at CES this year. The airless tyre is the ideal solution for applications like Hyundai’s PnD platform, as owners don’t need to top up the air periodically.
“In the world to come, we will not move our things, but things will actually move around us with the PnD module making traditionally inanimate objects mobile,” says Dong Jin Hyun, the head of Hyundai Motor Group Robotics Lab. “We are directing all our ambitious robotics engineering and creative efforts towards realising an even bigger vision than ever – the unlimited Mobility of Things ecosystem.”
Hankook has been working towards a more sustainable future in mobility, and as part, has been working on the non-pneumatic tire technology since 2010. This has led to the i-Flex, an airless tire with safety, low maintenance and sustainability, and Hankook is continuing R&D for further improvement.