ROADPOL and Michelin UPTIS Tire

ROADPOL and Michelin to Cooperate

On A Revolutionary Airless Tire

UPTIS 1 Michelin's UPTIS concept is allegedly fully puncture- and blowout-proof. PHOTOS: MICHELIN14 JUL - ROADPOL and its long-established partner Michelin will collaborate on the development and real-life testing of a revolutionary airless tire.

The new technology is branded UPTIS for Unique Puncture-proof TIre System.

It originates from a futuristic concept first created by Michelin in 2017. After a period of research and development an UPTIS prototype was manufactured and first unveiled in a world premiere at the Movin’On 2019 summit for sustainable mobility. It represents a new generation of airless solutions and is an example of Michelin’s expertise in high-tech materials.

Technology

The UPTIS is an assembled airless tire and wheel structure for passenger vehicles that is impervious to flats and blowouts. According to Michelin the UPTIS not only eliminates any risk of the said flats and blowouts but retains all the convenience of a traditional tire. This offers some significant advantages, helping car drivers feel more at ease on the road and enabling fleet owners and professional vehicle drivers optimize their business productivity. UPTIS is also particularly well-suited to new forms of mobility or C.A.S.E. (Connected, Autonomous, Shared, Electric) vehicles.

UPTIS 2 The UPTIS tire represents Michelin's new Vision plan for sustainable mobility.Vision

UPTIS comes in line with Michelin's Vision concept setting out the Group’s sustainable development model plan. The plan includes the following main features: “Airless”, “Connected”, “3D printed” and “100% Sustainable”. The concept of the new tire considerably reduces the use of raw materials, which in turn reduces waste hence lending concrete credibility to Michelin's Vision for sustainable mobility. The UPTIS marks the first step in this direction and is expected to be delivered as an available option to consumers by mid-decade.

Collaboration

“Adhering to its dedication to road safety and reducing fatalities in road traffic we at ROADPOL welcome any new technology which can help achieve our mission. Flats and blowouts while in motion pose a grave risk to the driver and passengers. They endanger not only the involved vehicle but also other road users – drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, etc. - who can be affected by the vehicle losing control due to the sudden loss of grip”, commented ROAPDOL's president Volker Orben on the association's intention to support Michelin in its endeavours with its advanced tire concept. Among the plans of the two entities lies a presentation on UPTIS within the upcoming ROADPOL Seminar on August 4^th when exclusive information around the technology will be shared with the participants. ROAPDOL and Michelin are also exploring future opportunities for cooperation. One of the discussed venues includes ROADPOL member police forces fitting the UPTIS tire on patrol fleet for a test of the new product in real-life conditions.