Michelin’s new VISION concept tire: airless, regenerable and 3D-printed

Also organic and biodegradable

Ask any responsible motorist, race driver or drift maniac what are the most important components of a car, and there’s a high likelihood you’ll get this answer: the tires.

As powertrains evolved from internal combustion engines to hybrid and then to full EV or assembly materials went from steel to aluminum carbon fiber, and so on, tires must also keep up with progress.

Remember Tweel, Michelin’s airless tire? It too was deemed as eccentric, but the company managed to find a niche for its product which is now available for certain lawn mowers and utility vehicles. The video below offers a good reference.

In renewing the Michelin Challenge Bibendum, the tiremaker rebranded the summit under the Movin’On label that they say “is not a slogan; instead, it’s a call to action […] in the area of intelligent transport solutions.”

Chosen to lead and introduce this recent initiative to the public is the VISION concept, a sponge-like tire that’s also 3D-printed that Michelin sees as “within reach.”

One of the tire’s aims is to feed the user’s need for constant air pressure. According to Michelin, the VISION’s pattern is both flexible and rigid, two attributes that are said to last in the long run.

The eco-conscious side of the VISION tire lies in its manufacturing process. 3D printing allows efficient use of biodegradable materials – thus wastage is reduced to a minimum, just like the side effects on the environment.

In the video below, Michelin imagined a futuristic vehicle that would exploit the VISION tire’s potential to the max.

Depending on what your destination is (snowy mountains, muddy trails, you get the picture) the car suggests a tire change. Provided you press a button, the car would find its way to the closest printing stand of sorts – much like a Tesla Supercharger, but for the fun of it let’s call it a Superprinter – where a new, adequate set of tires is printed at the press of a digital button.

The same way one could request a tire “recharge” that would repair worn-off sections on the spot.

Is Michelin's proposal a far-fetched piece of technology?

Some might say so, but in reality, its obvious benefits would improve global transportation and shed a light of efficiency in an already hectic urban swarm by cutting down pressure checks, summer/winter tire changes, a trip to the store, thus placing a checkmark on other things besides safety and peace of mind.

For some reason, we believe Michelin’s new VISION tire concept would fit like a glove Elon Musk’s electric transport pods that the Tesla, Space X and recently Boring Company chief deemed as city traffic liberators.