Goodyear unveils it’s flying car tilt rotor tyre concept
Flying taxis are arriving, albeit in drone form, but the dream of actual flying cars is far from dead.
Key takeaways
- Currently on display at the company’s head office the physical prototype has a wrap around rubber tread for traction, but it lacks a pneumatic air chamber.
- Courtesy: Goodyear The idea is that as long as the car is moving along the road, all four Aeros remain perpendicular to the asphalt.
- After the vehicle becomes airborne, the Aeros then tilt to face forward, becoming propellers for fast forward flight.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2019) 'Goodyear unveils it’s flying car tilt rotor tyre concept', 311 Institute, 30 July. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/goodyear-unveils-its-flying-car-tilt-rotor-tyre-concept/ (Accessed: 8 October 2026).
If you watch any science fiction movie none of the flying vehicles or cars look like today’s multi-rotor drones, or flying taxi’s as they’re becoming known as they lift off in Dubai. So if we really are going to realise this sci fi future then, according to Goodyear at least, cars will need at least two things, tires for driving on the road, like the levitating ones they proposed a couple of years ago for self-driving cars, and propellers for flying through the air.
As a result the company have just unveiled their latest concept and combined the two in their new Aero concept. Currently on display at the company’s head office the physical prototype has a wrap around rubber tread for traction, but it lacks a pneumatic air chamber. Instead, its integrated spokes flex to absorb shocks, while still being strong enough to support the weight of the vehicle.
Courtesy: Goodyear
The idea is that as long as the car is moving along the road, all four Aeros remain perpendicular to the asphalt. Once it's time for a vertical take-off, however, two of the tires, at opposite corners of the vehicle, swing out to sit parallel to the road. They then start spinning, with the spokes now serving as rotor blades that create enough lift to get the car off the ground. The other two tires subsequently also swing out and spin up, allowing for a full quadcopter-style take-off.
After the vehicle becomes airborne, the Aeros then tilt to face forward, becoming propellers for fast forward flight.
Because the tires would need to rotate very quickly for long periods of time, they'd utilize a zero-friction magnetic propulsion system. They would also incorporate fiber optic sensors to monitor road conditions, tread wear and overall structural integrity. Data from those sensors, and from vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication systems, would be analyzed by an onboard artificial intelligence processor, it would in turn advise if the vehicle should be driven or flown, based on the circumstances.
Source: Goodyear
What this means for your organisation
One part, two jobs.
A tyre that becomes a rotor removes the need for separate wheels and propellers. Dual purpose parts cut weight, cost and complexity in any product.
Sensing comes built in.
Fibre optic sensors monitor road conditions, tread wear and structural integrity. Components that report their own condition change maintenance planning.
Concepts shape supply chains.
A tyre maker designing for flight shows suppliers positioning for a market that does not exist yet. Firms should ask where their components could be needed next.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which of our components could serve two purposes?
- Would self monitoring parts cut our maintenance costs?
- Which future markets could our products serve?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Flying taxis are arriving, albeit in drone form, but the dream of actual flying cars is far from dead.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- Goodyear news.goodyear.eu
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 30 July 2019. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2019). Goodyear unveils it’s flying car tilt rotor tyre concept. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/goodyear-unveils-its-flying-car-tilt-rotor-tyre-concept/
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