Bulletproof tires likely to make market debut by yearend

Bulletproof tires are expected to make their debut on the Chinese market by the end of this year, with prices slightly higher than ordinary ones, said industry insiders on the sidelines of the China International Tire Expo for 2012.

At the expo, an enterprise fromHangzhou, East China’sZhejiangprovince, put on display a newly developed tire product, which has a sticky layer inside of the outer cover. The formula of the special layer could help prevent air from leaking out in case of puncture; more magically, the hole in the layer could “automatically close up” after the foreign matter that caused the puncture is removed.

Sources with the enterprises told Tireworld that the new tire product is actually bulletproof. During a recent test, the tire has withstood a7.62mmbullet, with the air pressure in the tire completely unchanged.

At the same time, the new tire product is as durable as traditional tires, basically capable of traveling for 50,000 to 60,000 kilometers and bearing a speed of more than150km/hour.

The new bulletproof tires would be much safer than traditional tires; similar tire products have already been used on some luxury car models, according to the sources.

(Contributed by Olivia, olivia@tireworld.com.cn)