Even into a product that has been around for so long as tires have, the best with research and development is that they continue to improve. Big money is spent on developing the tires further and testing them in all various conditions. This requires that you have winter and summer testing facilities around the globe.
Depending on the fuel costs, the big shifts of vehicles have seen people go from big cars that consumed a lot of gas to smaller economical cars to have ended up with big SUVs and hybrid or electrical cars. These vehicles also need special tires that have some different properties versus normal passenger cars. This then requires the tire companies to add a new, improved range of tires. SUVs, electric and hybrid vehicles also tend to be heavier than normal passenger cars, so this needs to be considered. Electric cars have a higher torque that can cause higher wear, so the tires need to be wear-resistant.
The tires are tested in different weathers to ensure that they work and behave as they should in different weather conditions and on different surfaces. They test their all-season tires, winter tires, all-weather tires, and their specialty tires that include SUV tires. A good tire in certain conditions might be a bad tire in other conditions. Continuous testing in different circumstances ensures that you determine the performance in different conditions.
Many innovations have helped reduce the risk for hydroplaning, ensuring that water is more effectively removed from the contact point. Through the innovations, the water is being moved faster, more water can be stored within the tread, and it can effectively be pushed to the side. The polished grooves are one example of an innovation that impacts the speed by which the water can be removed by ensuring a smooth groove surface, which reduces turbulence and increases the flow speed. The innovations contribute to improving safety so that we all benefit from fewer accidents on our roads. In addition, reducing the risk of hydroplaning lowers the accident rates during the summers when you can have very heavy rain.
Constant R&D combined with relentless testing in all different conditions around the globe isn’t cheap. A big part of the big tire manufacturers’ budgets is continuously developing better and safer tires. Therefore, when you purchase tires that might seem a bit more expensive than some cheaper models, you at least know that these tires have been thoroughly tested to achieve the results. On the other hand, when you purchase cheaper tires, they might just be knock-offs of quality tires, so they might not have been tested in all different conditions. Cheaper tires also tend to have a higher rolling resistance, which quickly reduces any savings due to higher fuel costs and higher wear.
We all benefit from tire technology development to improve the performance and safety of tires. It also makes our roads safer and moves us closer towards having zero casualties in the traffic.
For more information regarding tire innovations, visit: https://www.nokiantires.com/