Hankook’s Amazing Futuristic Tire Concepts

This film from Hankook Tire is something between Mad Max and Mario Kart. It’s meant to showcase three new future tire concepts conceived by the manufacturer. The new tire concepts debuted at the Essen Motor Show in Germany and were developed in partnership with the University of Design, Engineering and Business in Pforzheim, Germany.

“Boostrac” is first seen on a dune buggy and the tire has the ability to alter its hexagonal tread pattern to best suit driving on pavement, through sand, or up a rocky mountain path. Next up is “Alpike,” a winter driving tire that can expand in circumference to create a more aggressive tread pattern and also raise the car’s ride hide over the snow. Finally, “Hyblade” resembles a water wheel, with blades that can project out of the tire to drive through water.

Boostrac boasts hexagonal tread blocks that can transform into an expanded mode for intensified traction – especially on steep and rough conditions such as desert and mountain roads.

Alpike, along with the studs and gaps, is designed with a tyre circumferential expansion mode, which increases vehicle ground clearance, making it optimal for heavy snow.

HyBlade is designed to provide the ideal solution for heavy rain. It’s equipped with ‘waterwheel’ tread and side spokes that create driving and steering force in heavy rain.

Of course, this sort of technology is still a long way off in the real world. As far as Mario Kart goes, maybe Luigi will add these to his ride.