 |
The three basic functions of a motor vehicle are moving forward, stopping, and turning. As the only point of contact between the vehicle and the road, tires play a crucial role in making these three functions work.
Only knowledgeable motor mechanics can truly understand how tires have evolved over many years. They know that although tires have changed little in appearance, they have been transformed in terms of structure and performance. Take the tubeless tire, for example. The increased use of tubeless tires, which suffer limited air loss if the tire is punctured by a sharp object like a nail, is said to have sharply reduced the frequency of puncture-induced road accidents. Little may have changed on the outside, but major improvements have been made in the internal structure.
The Veuro passenger car tire released by Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., in 2002 represents a pinnacle of progress in terms of performance. The tire, mainly targeted at owners of luxury sedans, is world-class in all areas of performance including a quiet ride, wet performance, and long working life. The interior noise level at a speed of 100km/h is only 63.7 decibels—low enough to hold a conversation without raising your voice while cruising on the expressway.
“The requirements of a tire depend on the performance and price of the vehicle. Luxury car owners, who make up the Veuro’s target market, are particular about interior noise levels and comfort. At the sales team’s request, in developing the product we made a special effort to reduce noise levels,” explains Tadao Matsumoto, assistant manager of Technical Department I, Tyre Technology Headquarters.
Tires directly generate two kinds of noise—road noise and pattern noise. The former is caused by vibrations transmitted from the road surface through the tire, wheel, axle and cabin. The latter is caused by the shape of the groove on the tire surface. The Veuro has reduced levels of both types of noise. |
