The new cutting-edge rubber can connect to the driver’s phone.
As one of the world’s eminent tire manufacturers, Michelin has produced special rubber for the Bugatti Chiron’s incredible 300 mph record and is the brand of choice for cars like the Porsche Cayman GT4 and the recently unveiled Mustang Mach 1. At the moment, Pirelli may be the supplier that wraps the wheels on Formula One cars, but it’s Michelin that is making waves with technology on cars in the real world.
The latest innovation sees Michelin team up with BMW to debut a new production tire on the M2 CS. So what is this new tire all about?
First of all, let’s deal with the name. It’s called the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup2 Connect. As that last word implies, the tire features an integrated container that can receive a sensor. This sensor can detect temperature and pressure on each individual tire and can send this information to an app on your phone, making it the first of its kind.
Michelin claims that the readouts given by these sensors can help you improve lap times by 7.29 seconds after 10 laps. Does this mean that the tire is only for the closed circuit? No, although the benefits are definitely purposed to improve performance on the track.
The tires also boast what Michelin calls Wavy Summit Architecture and Dynamic Response Technology. The first feature reduces response time and supposedly increases feel from the tires, while the second feature is intended to promote driving precision and tire behavior. The end result is higher cornering speeds and better stability at high speed. The tire debuts on the eagerly awaited and very limited M2 CS, but 41 different sizes for over 180 different vehicles will be available. It seems, then, that Michelin continues to innovate. Will this one day mean a return to F1? Who knows. In the meantime, it’s road cars that are getting the best tech.
