At its recent Challenge Bibendum event in China, the tyre maker demonstrated the effectiveness of its Selfseal technology. In China motorists experience a puncture on average every 5,700 miles - in Europe its every 48,000 miles. Selfseal works when a thin layer of rubber compound inside the tyre surrounds the area where a puncture has occurred to plug the hole, maintain pressure and prevent air from escaping.
In a parallel development, Michelin has commenced mass production of its pioneering ‘Tweel’ - an airless tyre that comprises flexible, deformable polyurethane spokes that criss-cross between a fixed hub and the outer casing. Production will be confined to agricultural and commercial applications initially.
