Technology
New Technology of the 3rd Generation
Bridgestone's first Run-Flat tyre was introduced in the early 1980s with an aim to keep disabled drivers' vehicle mobile, even after complete air loss. The Porsche 959 was the first mass-produced vehicle equipped with Run-Flat tyres, making them standard equipment in 1987. In this early application, these tyres could not offer the smooth, comfortable ride as compared to conventional tyres.
Striving to solve this problem, Bridgestone developed a second-generation of Run-Flat tyres in 2005 which offered improved riding comfort. And, in 2009, Bridgestone introduced new technology in the third generation Run-Flat tyres, which offers almost the same riding comfort as conventional tyres.
- New Sidewall-Reinforced Rubber
- New Ply
- Cooling Fin
New Sidewall-Reinforced Rubber
In the past, Run-Flat tyres have faced the challenge of how to minimize the heat generated through the deformation of rubber. With the adoption of “NanoPro-Tech”, we have created a new sidewall-reinforced rubber that reduces friction between carbon molecules, thus reducing heat generation. Compared with second-generation sidewall-reinforced rubber, the new rubber can reduce heat generation by half when driving on tyres that have lost air pressure.
New Ply
Ply is a key structural material within a tyre. Bridgestone has pioneered the use of a new ply material that shrinks as heat is applied, helping the tyre to resist deformation at lower air pressures. This in turn, reduces the rate at which heat builds up over time.
Cooling Fin
By having a protrusion (Cooling Fin) on the side of a tyre, the movement of air around the tyre's sidewall is accelerated as the tyre spins. This provides a cooling effect to the tyre's surface area.
