Hankook I-Flex Airless T-Wheel Tires

One of the biggest safety risks to drivers is the potential for a tire blowout. While today’s tires are more durable than ever, they still can fail catastrophically if they hit a sharp object in the road. And while there are run-flat tires for small leaks, air is still required for proper ride and handling.

Tire manufacturers are now working on tires that require no air at all. Hankook’s I-Flex tires are designed to support a vehicle’s weight using a flexible polyurethane structure. The tires are said to offer improved shock absorbency, as well as improving fuel efficiency – not only through their design, but by cutting down on the need to carry a spare tire in your trunk.

At this point, the I-Flex has only been shown in a 14-inch variant, and no plans have been announced to put the tires into production, but it’s definitely interesting to see where tire technology could go in the near future.