Orange tyre tread signals wear

With consumers putting off tyre changes later than ever, and with part worn sales soaring, a recent award-wining invention purports to be answer.

According to various online news sources, the Discolor Tyre works something like this: under normal tread lies a layer of coloured rubber, which is revealed when treadwear hits 1.6 mm. From here on in the dull black normally associated with tyre is replaced with a loud orange hue.

Designers Gao Fenglin and Zhou Buyi point out that the colour difference can also help motorists and technicians spot tiny tears or leaks. The designers estimate their tyre will get over 19,000 kilometres before the “sub-dermal colour” shows.