Frankfurt Auto Show: Kumho Tire Technology

Alongside new production cars, concepts and tuned models, innovative technologies that are strongly connected with the automotive industry are also part of the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show. That is also the example of tire manufacturer Kumho, which is presenting to the public its new technology, namely a laser etching process.

This technology is destined to transform the way the company designs its tread patterns. Therefore, Kumho aims to design them in two stages in the near future. This means that the functional requirement will be moulded in the traditional way, while any additional attributes or design features will then be etched onto the surface as required.

“The new laser technology will allow us far more freedom at the design stage and the ability to experiment with any number of patterns and surface finishes. In the future, the process could also provide production tyres with a variety of short-term gains – such as special surfaces for use in motorsport or driving on low friction surfaces etc,” said Roger Jenkins, managing director of Kumho’s Birmingham-based European Technical Centre.

The aforementioned technology will eliminate the need to change the tire depending on road and weather conditions, Kumho says. The new tire features metal biters to be used on off-road surfaces, while when on normal roads, the tire inflates in such a way the rubber covers the respective biters.

In order to properly advertise its new tire technology, Kumho is also working on a SUV, dubbed Fortis. The SUV, with body panels (bumper sections, doors, bonnet, front wings and rear hatch) made from recycled tire rubber, will make use of all the latest in environmentally friendly technologies.