Goodyear's 'On TheGo' Self Inflating Tire 207
A reader writes with a bit of maintenance saving tech for drivers. From the article: "When was the last time you checked your tire pressure? If you're scratching your head, you might want to put a set of Goodyear's new self-inflating tires on your ride. The company's Air Maintenance Technology was rolled out of the lab this week for debut at a car show in Germany. Commercial truckers will be the first to put the rubber to test, but a consumer version is in the works. A regulator in the tire senses when tire-inflation pressure drops below a pre-set point and opens to allow air flow into the pumping tube. As the tire rolls, deformation flattens the tube, pushing air through the tire to the inlet valve and then into the tire cavity. All this technology, in Goodyear's words, eliminates the need for 'external inflation pressure intervention.'"
New Technology (Score:5, Funny)
So how long before this technology is implemented to other 'inflatable' ummm... technologies?
I'm sure that this has many 'practical' implications for the 'companions' of the slashdot readership?
Apple sueing Goodyear (Score:5, Funny)
Apple has filed a lawsuit against Goodyear tire saying their new auto-inflating tire violates their patents. They have "an app for that", and therefore, Goodyear's later tire is cleary a copy of one of their several millions apps. Apple is not sure which one, but they know since there is an "app for everything", Goodyear must be in violation.
They are asking $3.9 billion in damages and a halt on all sales of Goodyear tires. As they've pointed out tires are a clear infringement of their trade dress. Their buttons on their iPhones and iPads are round. And Goodyear tires are round. So that's $1 for every tire Goodyear has sold.
Re:Sounds different from the bike one. (Score:5, Funny)
I just paid $80 to change a rim on my truck because it was rusty and leaking. ($40 for the rim from a junk yard, $40 to mount and balance). 35 years old, 25% failure rate. Not too bad.
My truck is old-school. New, problematic, overly complicated technology is unwelcome. This new technology sounds new, overly complicated, and problematic.
I just wish there was an AM station to listen to on the way to work...
Re:At the cost of fuel economy (Score:2, Funny)
Those tires need windows you can open to let the air in.
Re:I would be happy just having ... (Score:5, Funny)
"Tire Failure is Imminent"
FTFY. Eminent tyre failure isn't really what we want here ;-)
What if... (Score:5, Funny)