Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation have unveiled a snow chain-integrated tyre technology to make it easier to stay safe in winter driving conditions.
Granted, there probably isn’t much of a call for snow-chains in Queensland, but this is pretty clever stuff for those who live in arctic conditions or, perhaps, who travel to snow-covered mountains during ski season.
The technology uses shape memory alloy modules inside the wheel and tyre, and these modules protrude to act as a ‘snow chain’ when an electrical signal is received.
During normal driving, the alloy is compressed into the shape of the letter ‘L’ and does not contact the road surface. When the driver activates the function, an electric current is applied, causing the shape memory alloy to revert to its original profile – a ‘J’ shape – pushing the module out of the tyre to make contact with the surface.
Hyundai and Kia say the technology is patent-pending in both South Korea and the U.S. and that they plan to consider mass production of the tyres after further development and testing.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (December 2023 / January 2024)
31 January 2024