Goodyear tests airless tires on autonomous delivery robots from Starship

Starship Technologies is a portfolio company of Goodyear Ventures. It develops, manufactures, and operates a network of over a thousand autonomous delivery robots for use in the so-called "last mile," such as the delivery of packages or groceries directly to end customers.

To meet Starship's requirements for extended tire life and reduced maintenance, Goodyear has developed special airless tires for the robot fleet. In a field test at Bowling Green State University (Ohio/USA), the interactions of airless tires with the vehicle are also being tested. These practical tests are already showing positive results in terms of wear, braking performance, and vibration damping. "We are pleased to be able to incorporate our unique airless tire technology into new forms of mobility," said Michael Rachita, Goodyear Senior Program Manager NPT. He adds:

"The requirements for systems in local delivery present different challenges for tire manufacturing. Our NPT technology has ideal properties to ensure the requirements for a low-maintenance and long-lasting tire."

"Our robots carry thousands of deliveries every day in all weather conditions and on any terrain," said Siim Viilup, Mechanical Engineering Manager at Starship Technologies, and adds:

"To meet the growing demand for our services, we need reliable tires that keep our robots running around the clock and worldwide. The reliability and cost savings from the new tires are excellent. This is important to us as we continue to expand our business."

What does this mean?

A large part of the tire industry is working on airless rings—pneus would be the wrong term here—that could become indispensable, especially for autonomous traffic. This is because tire punctures are significant and costly preventers of the planned 24/7 services. Therefore, one can be even more excited about Goodyear's results.