In the future, our cars will be smart, and our tires will be smarter. For starters, it’s airless, eliminating the need to worry…

Über-Adaptable Airless Tires

By Lisa Eadicicco

In the future, our cars will be smart, and our tires will be smarter. For starters, it’s airless, eliminating the need to worry about pounds per square inch. It’s also made from recycled materials in an effort to reduce waste. But the most impressive feature may be its 3-D--printed treads, which can be swapped in and out to accommodate various road conditions—without changing the tire itself. The challenge will be figuring out a way to do it quickly, says Terry Gettys, who helped lead the project, “because consumers are going to want their tires [ready to go] in just a few minutes.”