AKRON (Nov. 13, 2012)—Time magazine has named Goodyear's Air Maintenance Technology (AMT) one of its "Best Inventions of the Year 2012."
The magazine's technology editors annually vote on the year's "most important innovations." This year's list has 25 inventions listed, including Goodyear's AMT, the National Aeronautics & Space Administration's Z-1 space suit, the Tesla Model S electric car and indoor clouds.
Goodyear said its AMT will help ensure the optimum tire pressure is maintained with all of its components, including the miniaturized pump contained within the tire.
"As soon as the pressure in these Goodyear tires gets too low, they know it," the Time editors wrote about Goodyear's AMT. "An internal pressure regulator opens to allow air to flow into a pumping tube, and as the wheel turns, the flattened part helps squeeze air from the tube through an inlet valve into the tire."
"We are honored to be named as one of Time magazine's 'Best Inventions of the Year 2012,'" said Jean-Claude Kihn, Goodyear's chief technical officer. "This award recognizes the outstanding work of our engineers in Akron and Luxembourg, as well as our efforts to bring innovative new products to market.
"A tire that can maintain its own inflation is something drivers have wanted for many years. This is the kind of technological breakthrough that people will recognize," Mr. Kihn added.
Goodyear is developing AMT at its technical centers in Akron and Luxembourg and said the system is not yet available for purchase.
Time joins Popular Mechanics and Car & Driver magazines in recognizing Goodyear's innovative technology. In October, Popular Mechanics named AMT a 2012 Breakthrough Award winner. In December 2011, Car & Driver selected AMT as one of its 10 "most promising future technologies."