International. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company developed a custom-designed tire (NTP) to support Starship's autonomous delivery robots. The project is now in the testing phase.
Starship Technologies is a Goodyear Ventures portfolio company, building and operating a network of more than a thousand autonomous robots dedicated to transporting and delivering packages, groceries and food directly to customers.
To meet Starship's request related to the maintenance and maintenance of the tires of these units, Goodyear developed an airless tire specially designed to extend their service life, and reduce the maintenance tasks of Starship's fleet of deliveries.
Goodyear and Starship have entered a field trial phase at Bowling Green State University to evaluate vehicle and tire dependencies. Early data from tire testing on vehicles has shown positive results regarding tire wear, braking and vibration damping.
"We are excited to expand our unique airless tire architecture to new forms of mobility," said Michael Rachita, Goodyear's senior director of programs, non-tires. The micro delivery space presents a set of different needs, as far as the tire is concerned, and our NPT technology is ideal to meet those needs, as well as having a lasting and maintenance-free experience," adds Rachita.
"Our delivery robots make thousands of deliveries every day in all kinds of weather and terrain conditions," says Siim Viilup, mechanical engineering manager at Starship Technologies.
"To ensure we keep up with the growing demand for our services, we require tires that are reliable and keep robots moving around the clock and around the world. It's great to see these new tires that offer reliability as well as cost savings as our business grows." Add Viilup.
