Bridgestone shows ‘Large & Narrow’ concept

In the future we may return to the past, at least when it comes to tyre dimensions – tomorrow’s tyres may take their cues from the large diameter, thin tyres of the 1920s and 1930s. By giving tyres a larger vertical diameter and increasing their internal air pressure, it is possible to limit changes in the shape of the contact patch, the section of the tyre that comes in contact with the road. Furthermore, by optimising the structure of tyres created using this technology and using appropriate materials, a significantly lower rolling resistance coefficient can be achieved. And when these tyres are narrower than those typically used today, air resistance is also decreased.

At this year’s Salon International De L’Auto – the Geneva motor show – Bridgestone is displaying such a tyre. The Japanese manufacturer’s so-called ‘Large & Narrow’ concept tyre boasts dimensions of 155/55R19, and Bridgestone states that the Large & Narrow represents a new, environmentally-friendly category of tyre.

The design of and technology used in the Large & Narrow concept tyre aims to achieve improved fuel efficiency; Bridgestone says that in comparison with a 175/65R15 size tyre, the structure of and the materials in the Large & Narrow facilitate an approximately 30 per cent lowering of the rolling resistance coefficient. Despite the tyre’s narrowness, Bridgestone claims “substantially higher levels of wet grip performance.”

Explaining this safety aspect, the tyre maker states: “The narrower size of tyres made with this technology helps reduce the pressure placed on the tyres by water present on roads when driving during rain or under other wet conditions. In addition, the tyres have been specially designed to have a longer contact patch and higher contact pressure, which helps these tyres prevent water from accumulating between the tyre and the road. These features combined with the benefits of the tyres’ newly developed, specialised patterns and compounds enable the tyres to achieve an improvement in wet grip performance of approximately eight per cent in comparison to conventional tyres.”

Bridgestone says it intends to develop this technology and order to “quickly” put it into practical use. Potential applications include use of the technology in a new category of tyres to be incorporated into Bridgestone’s ECOPIA range. This new tyre technology may also be introduced as original equipment on next-generation automobiles or other vehicles.