Michelin presented in Detroit a tyre, which gets better when worn 

Michelin presented in Detroit a tyre, which gets better when worn 

The tyres are known to loose traction on wet road when they become worn, because the tyre grooves loose depth. On the international automobile show in Detroit last week Michelin presented a tyre, which wet traction is improved when it becomes worn – thanks to special grooves that widen over time, when raining, in combination with a unique rubber compound for increased wet grip. 

The widening grooves of Michelin Premier A/S are located in the main four grooves, circling the periphery of the tyre and assisting the water evacuation between the contact surface and the road. While the existing tyres use V-shaped grooves, getting narrower and shallower when they are being worn, the Premier A/S grooves are made wider at the base of the tread, then at the tyre surface. When the tyre is worn, the empty surface is bigger in order to compensate the partially reduced depth. 

The Premier A/S tyre increased grip is a result both from the tread pattern and the unique rubber compound. The compound consists of significant quantity of silica – binding agent, improving the grip on wet surface and sunflower oil, on account of which the tyre elasticity is improved at lower temperature. 

The tyre shall be produced in 32 sizes from 15 to 18 inches. Michelin claims that they are negotiating with five producers of vehicles, for the tyre to be used as original equipment in their 2015 models.