Puncture-proof car tyres 'within five years'

FORGET run-flat tyres – soon we'll be driving on un-puncturable tyres with no air in them at all.

Tyre maker Bridgestone has announced plans to have its AirFree concept tyre installed on road-going cars within three to five years.

The company made the announcement at a special event at its headquarters in Tokyo.

The idea works by having closely-set and diagonally aligned splines supporting the wheel rim and providing a measure of suspension, while offering enough rigidity for everyday use. The centres are plastic, leaving just a thin strip of rubber on the outer edge of the wheel.

With no pressurised cavity the tyre can't be punctured or rendered unsafe, which will be music to the ears of anyone who has been caught out by a flat, especially on the motorway.

At present, even run-flat pneumatic tyres impose speed and distance limits following a loss of pressure. Bridgestone is hoping that the AirFree concept could be a step forward.

And for those still in need of persuasion, it's likely that a choice of wheel colours will also become available in due course.

By Press Association reporter