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Michelin is doing some impressive things with wheels and tires. The engineers I spoke to told me these technologies will be available between 2010 and 2020. A long time, I know, but these are technologies that could significantly change the way we design and use cars.

Active Wheel

Imagine a wheel that contained everything needed to make a car go and stop. An engine isn't needed with the Michelin Active Wheel. Neither is a suspension system or most brake hardware. The Active Wheel is a self-contained unit containing an electric motor (to make the wheel turn), regenerative brakes (to make the wheel stop) and a suspension system. With those three components taken care of, there will be more space and less weight in the car chassis. Things will look very different under the hood.

Airless Wheel

No more flat tires, with the same feel of driving as with a "regular" air-filled tire. Michelin intends to deliver on this promise by introducing the Airless Wheel. The Airless Wheel comes in two forms. One (below left) is a rubber tread that acts as a skin for an skeleton of polyurethane and fiberglass. This skeleton is extremely strong yet flexible enough to absorb the worst Detroit pothole. When the outside rubber tread wears out, remove it and install a new one.  The other form (below right) is similar in idea but very different in implementation. The structure is much more rigid and distributes road force in a different way. It will be up to Michelin to determine which concept works the best.