Goodyear 'challenges limits' at India expo

NEW DELHI (Feb. 3, 2016) — Goodyear has unveiled two ground-breaking concept tires at the Auto Expo 2016 in New Delhi that it claims could “radically transform the role of car tires in the future.”

The company's “Challenging the Limits” display at the 13th Auto Expo, which runs through Feb. 7, showcases what the Akron-based tire maker calls some of its “most iconic products that have shaped the history of tire technology,” while defining its present product range and offering a glimpse into the technologies of the future.

“Our products displayed at the Expo represent an essential aspect of Goodyear's consumer-centric innovation strategy, which constantly instills a forward-looking, market-back mindset in the company's research and development teams,” said Mike Rytokoski, Goodyear's vice president for consumer tires in Asia Pacific.

“Our concept tires re-imagine the role that tires may play in the future. We envision a future in which our products become more integrated with the vehicle and the consumer, more environmentally friendly and more versatile.”

The first concept tire, named “BHO,” offers the possibility of charging the batteries of electric cars by transforming the heat generated by the rolling tire into electrical energy, according to Goodyear. The second concept, named “Triple Tube,” contains three tubes that adjust tire inflation pressure in response to changing road conditions, “delivering new levels of performance and versatility.”

Speaking at Goodyear's display at the Expo, Rajeev Anand, vice chairman and managing director for Goodyear India, said the company's “culture of innovation is not just confined to our history. As a pioneer in tire technology and innovation, we consistently keep challenging ourselves to develop products that offer better driving experience to consumers.”

Other technologies highlighted by the tire maker at the Expo include tires used in the aviation industry, NASCAR and RunOnFlat tires, along with what it said were “some of the most cutting-edge tire technologies” from its India unit's current portfolio — Assurance TripleMax and Wrangler ATSA.

Goodyear has had a presence in India for more than 92 years, with two tire plants, in Ballabgarh and Aurangabad. The company said its India unit supplies passenger car tires to a number of leading original equipment manufacturers and, in the farm segment, its tires are supplied to all major tractor companies.