Developed by American tyre manufacturer Goodyear, the Oxygene concept has been revealed at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. It collects moisture from the road through its tread as well as carbon dioxide from the air, allowing photosynthesis to take place that results in clean oxygen being fed back into the atmosphere.
The firm claims that if the tyres were fitted to 2.5 million vehicles in Paris, almost 3,000 tons of oxygen would be created while more than 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide would be absorbed every year.
Not only does the tyre help fight air pollution, it also recycles some of the energy created during photosynthesis to power its on-board Li-Fi (light fidelity) technology. This uses LEDs to transmit data to communicate with other vehicles on the road, which Goodyear says ‘is critical to smart mobility management systems’.
Chris Delaney, president of Goodyear Europe, said: ‘Smarter, greener infrastructure and transport will be crucial in addressing the most pressing challenges of urban mobility and development. Oxygene is meant to challenge our thinking and help drive the debate around smart, safe and sustainable future mobility.
‘By contributing in this way to cleaner air generation, the tyre could help enhance quality of life and health for city dwellers.’
