I have noticed that racing cars use different tyres depending on the race conditions. Choice of tyre varies according to the ambient temperature and whether the track surface is wet or dry. By contrast most car owners possess one set of tyres for all their motoring needs.

I propose a set of 'adaptive tyres' that respond dynamically to road conditions. Each tyre would consist of a mozaic of compounds with different properties.

For example, the tread pattern only becomes visible, when wet. This could be achieved using a tyre compounds that swells when wet, distorting the rest of the tyre to form grooves. In cold conditions a different compound forms 'goosebumps' enabling the tyre to grip more firmly in the snow.

The definitive example would be a tyre compound that becomes slightly softer in response to high shear forces, dynamically improving grip when entering into corners.
-- riposte, Jul 24 2003

Interchangable Tires http://www.halfbake...able_20Tread_20Skin
not the same idea but based off the same need [SystemAdmin, Oct 04 2004]

Then you go over a flat piece of slightly melted ice and the tire has a nervous breakdown.
-- phoenix, Jul 24 2003


I think the tolerance and speed of response of each compound would need to be carefully 'tuned' in order to prevent schizophrenic behaviour within the tyre.
-- riposte, Jul 24 2003


Tyre, tyre, changing tread One wrong change and you'll be dead. What immortal hand or eye Can make it nice for you to die?
-- DeathNinja, Jul 24 2003


Fools rush in, Where angels use the correct tread...

[DeathNinja]
Pray stop, your deadly reverie,
Wake up! you're in the bakery,
Such dark thoughts have no place in here,
Just point out what's a good idea.

-- riposte, Jul 25 2003


Rather than try to make the tyres adaptive why not try to make the roads adaptiwe?

For example, you could produce a paint with hygroscopic compounds in it than swell when they get wet.

Use it to paint sections of road with tight corners or in the approach to traffic lights or pedestrian crossings so that it becomes easier to brake when it's raining.
-- Iangould, Dec 12 2009


What'r tyres? I wouldn't trust the wife'n tots to anything spelled tyres. Sounds French. Damn! We ride on tires here in Alabama. Got that? Now, what were you saying?
-- outloud, Dec 13 2009


Surely you mean tars?

Diddle ing, ding ding, ding ding, ding dingggg.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 13 2009


Jebidiah is that you?
-- outloud, Dec 13 2009


Wouldn't it be more fun to have, instead of adaptive compound, a tyre made of a complex mosaic structure, with micro-servos embedded within, actuating linkages and conter-rotating rings, controlled by infra-red linkage to a hub mounted computer? That way ice studs can also be incorporated, and the Active Suspension road scanners can also be wired in so the system can become predictive rather than merely responsive.
-- pocmloc, Dec 13 2009


[poc] more fun in the sense of betting how long before the car blew up: rotating mass, precession, etc.
-- FlyingToaster, Dec 13 2009


Rotational balance isn't very forgiving, is it.
-- wjt, Dec 14 2009


2 sets of tires: a set of everyday "highway" tires, and a set of offroad/winter tires. Less than 45 minits to change out the tires, using air tools, of course. And you need room to store the unused set.
-- whlanteigne, Apr 12 2013



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