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Air Free

Air Free is a second-generation prototype of Bridgestone's airless tires that are designed to replace conventional air inflated tires. Air Free uses an array of shock-absorbing resin bands that resemble thick, angled spokes to perform the same function as the cushion of air in traditional tires. The outside of the airless tire is coated with a replaceable tread made of a thin band of solid rubber. When the rubber coating wears out, a new one can be fitted by heating it up and slipping it on. In addition to forever eliminating the situation of a flat tire, Air Free is also designed to significantly improve recyclability compared to conventional tires as it's mostly made from recyclable materials.

Bridgestone debuted the original airless tire concept in 2011, and subsequently introduced Air Free at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. Air Free is better able to handle heat buildup, but still needs to deal with lateral stiffness which lacks the smoothness in handling when the driver steers.

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