Hyundai has already submitted patents in the US and in South Korea.
The technology could eventually be offered.
Winter has set in over the past few weeks. Cold weather combined with snow and ice make road conditions harder for motorists, prompting many road users to acquire winter tires. Some even go so far as to install studded winter tires for those days when grip just isn’t there. In Quebec, on the other hand, winter tires are mandatory from December 1 to March 15 each year.
In some parts of the world, however, conditions force motorists to use chains on top of the tires, although this takes a little longer as they must be installed manually.
Hyundai has just posted this video on the web showing a tire with “integrated chains”. For the time being, this is an idea that still needs development the Korean giant, which has already filed a patent application in its home market of South Korea, as well as in the United States.
The tire in question uses shape-memory alloy modules housed inside the wheel and tire. When an electrical signal is received, the modules change shape to “pop out” of the tire radius, improving the tire’s grip on the road.
To activate them, the user simply activates the system via the vehicle’s touchscreen. This is an undeniable advantage over traditional chains, which require several minutes to install.
“This innovation, which we hope will one day be introduced on Hyundai and Kia vehicles, reflects our commitment to turning cutting-edge technologies into tangible solutions that benefit customers,” said Joon Mo Park, head of the Advanced Chassis Development team. “We will continue to develop technologies that enhance the safety and convenience of our vehicles and bring value to our customers,” he added.
The video shows the six modules, integrated into the wheel and tire shaped like a pizza. It now remains to be seen whether Hyundai will go ahead with this idea, which admittedly applies rather well to the North American market. There are, however, some reservations about the cost of such technology.
In places where winter conditions are not too extreme, a good set of winter tires can do the job just fine. But hey, this idea of “tire-integrated chains” exists to simplify life for motorists.
