Bridgestone Launches Airless Tires in Limited Service

Bridgestone Corporation recently began commercial operation of its AirFree airless tires after 18 years of research and development. The Japanese manufacturer is initially deploying the technology on low-speed shuttle vehicles transporting seniors in the city of Higašiómi, Japan. These tires, which utilize a thermoplastic resin and internal spoke structure to support weight and absorb impact, aim to eliminate the risk of flat tires and promote sustainability.

Bridgestone is exploring a rental and recycling model for the tires, intending to reprocess them into new products. While the current design prioritizes recyclability and comfort, it faces limitations in speed and load capacity.

The technology is not yet suitable for conventional vehicles, but this initial deployment marks a step forward from short-term experiments to a paid service. The company has not specified if the 20 km/h speed limit demonstrated during trials is a functional limitation of the tire design.