The future of tyres is intelligent tread designs

According to a futurology report commissioned by Dunlop as part of the Dunlop Future Race Car Challenge, racing car drivers of the future may experience intelligent tyres that will adapt to the needs of the driver and the track, bringing a whole new dynamic to motorsports.

They can expect to see shape changing materials such as polymer gels that will enable tyres to change shape and size to suit the race and the track, even in the most gruelling of weather conditions. If a tyre begins to wear, layers of microspikes could be activated to surface the tyre on demand, increasing the grip and reducing drag around the toughest of corners.

Renowned futurologist Dr. Ian Pearson, author of the report, also believes that graphene will be a key material leading the way in motorsports, offering huge potential for tyre redesign. He said: “Graphene flakes could be placed in tyres to not only give excellent grip, but allow more of the tyre surface to stay in contact with the road surface.”

The report is the beginning of Dunlop’s quest to explore what is in store for the future of motorsport. In launching the Dunlop Future Race Car Challenge, the iconic tyre brand is encouraging fans and motorsport enthusiasts to share their thoughts and ideas on how racing cars may look like in 125 years.

At the core of this collaborative design project, in which anyone can participate, is the true heritage and origin of the Dunlop Company: “125 years ago it was a vet, John Boyd Dunlop, who invented the pneumatic tyre, not a driver or a motor car engineer. Maybe it took someone like a vet to invent something completely outside the box,” said Jean-Felix Bazelin, General Manager at Dunlop Motorsport in encouraging fans to shape the future of motorsport race car design. “I think the tyre of the future will be a smart tyre. This tyre will be able to communicate with the driver, the team manager, the car and the public.”

Joining Dunlop on this exciting venture is leading aerospace developers BAE systems, clean high performance vehicle maker GreenGT, and leading KERS developers Flybrid Automotive (now part of Torotrak Group), who are also encouraging people to get involved by sketching and discussing their ideas of what they believe the future will look like for aerodynamics, drivetrains and brakes respectively, as well as tyres.

So what do you think the future of motorsports will look like? To watch the inspiring videos, view other people’s ideas and have your say, join the Dunlop Future Race Car Challenge on www.dunlopfutureracecarchallenge.com