IRVINE, CA – Hyundai and Kia announced this week that they have developed astonishing next-generation technology to keep electric vehicle (EV) drivers safe during winter weather conditions that seemingly takes a page out of a James Bond movie. This technology comes in the form of new wheels and tires that have built-in snow chains that can be deployed and retracted at the push of a button.
The snow chain-integrated tires utilize shape memory alloy modules inside the wheel, alleviating the need for drivers to install snow tires, especially in wintery regions and snow-covered mountain terrain. This new tire technology can automatically deploy the chains directly out of the tire, offering EV drivers a significant degree of additional grip on snowy and icy roads.
This technology consists of a wheel and tire assembly that features a series of grooves that house the shape memory alloy modules; when the driver pushes a button, it activates an electric current that deploys the snow chains, and when the button is pushed once again, the current ceases and the chains return to their original, natural shape inside the tire.
Experts say that Hyundai and Kia’s new tire technology could be a game-changer when it comes to snow tires once the two companies have integrated it into their upcoming EV models. Currently, no specific model year has been cited when it comes to rolling out the snow chain tech, but Hyundai’s head of their advanced chassis development team, Joon Mo Park, said that the automaker will be implementing it into their EVs sooner rather than later.
This innovation, which will hopefully be introduced on Hyundai and Kia vehicles someday, reflects our commitment to turning advanced technologies into real-world solutions that benefit customers,” he said. “We will continue to develop technologies that enhance safety and convenience of our vehicles and bring value to our customers.”
Christopher Boyle is an investigative journalist, videographer, reporter and writer for SEARCHEN NETWORKS® as well as other independent news and media organizations in the United States. Christopher works on a wide variety of topics and fields, has been featured in print and online in a variety of publications, from local to national, and helps keep a keen-eye on what’s happening in the automotive world for Auto Buyers Market.