Run-flat tires No. 1 on consumer wish list, J.D. Power says

AGOURA HILLS, Calif. (Aug. 7)—Seven out of eight consumers say run-flat tires are No. 1 among the features they most want their next vehicles to have, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2001 Automotive Emerging Technologies Study. Side-window security glass was a close second, with 86 percent as opposed to the 87 percent for run-flat tires. The emerging technologies study, now in its second year, "shows that consumers want safety-related features more than sophisticated entertainment systems or other convenience features in their new vehicles," the marketing information firm said in a news release. Motorists' desire for run-flat tires "may reflect the fact that there's been a lot of attention paid to tires in the last year," said a spokesman for the Rubber Manufacturers Association. "But run-flat tires still require proper care and inflation, just like any other tires."