Continental Tires Gains Some Tread with Conti C.A.R.E Concept

What you are looking at is not a toy wheel. It is a real concept that Continental wants to bring to our future cars. Dubbed the Conti C.A.R.E, it looks to revolutionize tire monitoring systems and integration.

Unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt International Motor Show, Conti C.A.R.E. stands for connected, autonomous, reliable, and electrified. Now I did mention the word tire a few times, but the Conti is a bit more complicated than that. What you are actually looking at is an entire wheel system, not just a tire, and being a concept, it’s not ready to be had. But it does seem to be a leading contender in the application of future autonomous vehicles such as the Toyota Concept-i.

Instead of focusing just on the tire itself like most other manufactures, Continental brought a whole system that integrates the wheel and tire into one system. The entire contraption is full of monitoring systems for tire pressure, tire temperature, tread depth, and even damage. Being Bluetooth enabled, all of these systems monitor and relay information in real-time to an app called ContiConnect Live. This allows you to be in the know at all times with what is going on in your tires.

Let’s say it’s been two years since you’ve last been to a tire shop. You just don’t have the attention for that. Once the tread on the Conti is reduced below safe operating levels, an alert is sent to the software informing the driver that, “Hey, it’s time to bring her in.” Until then, don’t worry about it.

OK, so it’s got lots of thingies and do-hickies, but how does that affect me as a driver? How does it affect my ride? Well, one of the ‘thingies’ on the Conti C.A.R.E are a series centrifugal pumps that activate as the vehicle speeds up. Why? The Conti does this in order maintain optimum tire pressure and tread coverage on the asphalt. These pumps release compressed air into the tire chamber, keeping the tire perfectly balanced for the condition it’s in.

But, um, what do you do with all the extra air pressure will eventually build up as you drive and your tires get hotter? Continental has this covered too. Inside each wheel is a small integrated air-tank in which any excess gasses would be stored.

However, Continental went a step beyond and integrated this tank with an extra function for the wheel. The air in this tank is reserved and also used to rapidly adapt the pressure during driving. It sounds more like a pump or piston with an added use of storage.

Another idea that is to be used in the concept is something called SilentWheel. The idea behind it is to create an entire wheel well that reduces the vibration created while driving in order to offer a more comfortable ride.

Now, I’m of the opinion that this stuff sounds amazing, and it looks like Continental will take C.A.R.E. of anything wheel related. I just hope they won’t be made of plastic.