The tyre maker demonstrated the effectiveness of its Selfseal technology at its recent Challenge Bibendum event in China. In that country, motorists experience a puncture on average every 5,700 miles compared to Europe where the average is one 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.
Michelin has also started mass production of its 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.
