The History of Automotive Tires

October 24, 2022 Published by Leave your thoughts

The invention of the wheel and the invention of the tire are two entirely different animals. In all fairness, the wheel is one of the most revolutionary inventions in history, and it is the foundation and birth of the wheel. As car tire history will show, however, the two are not the same.

Car Tire History: The Early Years

The answer to the question of how long have car tires been around dates back to the late 1800s, but to trace how the tire and automobile met, we need to go back a little further. In 1839, a man named Goodyear, Charles Goodyear to be precise, created a process known as vulcanizing. The process transformed rubber into a moldable, durable, and flexible product, like the tire.

1888 was a busy year for tires. During that year, another guy named John Dunlop figured out how to make tires hold air, introducing the world’s first pneumatic tire. Also, that same year, Benz incorporated those pneumatic tires to use on automobiles. With that, the inception of automotive tires had arrived.

Car Tire History Advances Quickly

From this time on, the timeline of car tire history hits fast-forward. Only a couple of years later, in 1890, Edouard Michelin created the first detachable pneumatic tires (for bicycles). Yes, previous to this time, tires were permanently mounted to the wheel.

Soon after that came the introduction of tread, then the inner tube, which was used for automobile tires until the introduction of the tubeless tire in 1947. The DuPont company, in 1931, is also given credit for industrializing the production of synthetic rubber. 

Now, with rubber more easily produced and tubeless tires in full swing, complete with tread, the tire had finally taken shape! Along the way to where we are today, many other advancements and improvements in tire design and technology have been made. 

In 1979, we met the run-flat tire, followed a year later by high-performance tires. More recently, we have witnessed technological advances in tires like Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS). Most cars today have minimum TPMS safety requirements for tires too.

Lubbock’s Tire and Service Center

Since 1975, M & M Tire & Service Center has been Lubbock’s trusted mechanic, serving car owners throughout the Lubbock, Wolfforth, Buffalo Springs, and Lubbock County, TX area. 

We are a family-owned and operated business with over 40 years of experience. Our friendly and professional staff work to provide quality repairs and services at reasonable prices to keep your vehicle on the road. Contact us today, and let M&M take care of all your tire and auto service needs.

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