Bridgestone Driveguard - Silent operation like never before

Somewhere on the road, something sharp. Something is just waiting to puncture your tire. It's yours. After all, everyone gets stuck on the road because of this at least once in a lifetime. Bridgestone decided to change that.

A nail, a stick, a sharp stone, a hole in the way. All of these things can effectively distract us from the road and keep us from moving for hours. It's worth mentioning some statistics. 60% of drivers have had a puncture in the last 4 years. 23% of punctures occurred after dark, with more than half in problem areas. Almost 7 out of 10 women do not change their tires themselves. And in a century, producers could not help all these people. No one has patented a technology that would make us immune to these kinds of random events. 

Well, not quite. The first attempts to create a damage-resistant tire were made in the 1934s. Tire explosions were commonplace back then, and then, as now, blown tires created very dangerous driving situations. That year, Michelin showed a tire with an inner ring made of special foam, which, after a puncture, allowed it to continue moving. It was advertised as "semi-bulletproof", and this was not an exaggeration. However, it was very expensive, so it was used mainly in the army and armored vehicles. 

Other concepts have appeared in history besides tire reinforcement. Some of them were laid with an additional coating, which, in the event of a loss of pressure, “self-healed” the hole from the inside. We also have PAX tyres, which are used, among other things, in vehicles used to transport dignitaries – such a solution was also found in President Andrzej Duda's limousine when an accident occurred on the A4 motorway. Michelin PAX is a system consisting of a rim, an internal semi-flexible rim and a tire. All such wheels are a single element, due to which, after a puncture, the tire will not fall off the rim and immobilize the vehicle.

Most manufacturers offer run-flat tires. The problem is that their size suggests that they are used in more expensive, less popular cars. And everyone has punctures. So far, Bridgestone alone has thought of 32 million other cars. 

Idea

Why am I talking about 32 million? The car we would like to equip with the Bridgestone Driveguard must basically meet only one condition - it must be equipped with a TPMS tire pressure monitoring system. For safety reasons, we must be informed that there is no air in the tire and the driving style should be changed. 

There are practically no other restrictions. This is the first run-flat tire available to the general public. Available in 19 summer and 11 winter sizes. The size of the rims is from 16 to 18 inches. Width from 185 to 225 mm, profile from 65 to 40%. This data shows that Driveguard can be applied to almost any vehicle in the last 2-3 years.

I blew a tire - now what?

You probably have standard tires on your car. In the trunk, there may be one of the “just in case” options - a full-size spare tire, a temporary spare tire, or a repair kit. The steering wheel is the most comfortable, but it takes up space in the trunk and creates an extra load on the car, increasing fuel consumption. When I drove a Lexus GS F near Madrid, it turned out that there was a full-size 255/45 R19 wheel in the trunk. There is no space under the floor for it, so it takes up about 20% of the trunk. Not very practical.

The second option is a spare tire. A good compromise, but it also has its limitations. It must be remembered that this narrow wheel, hidden somewhere under the floor of the trunk, must withstand pressure, usually equal to about 4 atmospheres. This should be taken into account when regularly checking the tire pressure. 

Finally, a repair kit. This is the most economical solution, but it won't solve all our problems. If we damage the sidewall, the fluid won't work. After connecting the compressor, it simply pours onto the asphalt through an unwanted hole. 

And here it comes in Bridgestone DriveGuard. The tire walls are additionally reinforced. The problem - when driving without air - is increased friction, which heats up the tire a lot. The tire in this condition can heat up to 200 degrees Celsius. We don't have to wait long for the tread to "peel off". Bridgestone patented a prosaic solution in the form of grooves on the sidewall of the tire. Their location causes small air vortices to form around the rim, which redirect heat from the tire to the rim. Metal absorbs heat much better, so the rubber wall heats up more slowly. The result is an additional range of 80 km, which we can overcome at a speed of about 80 km/h. Theoretically, this range could be increased if, after driving 80 km, we waited on the spot until the temperature of the tires dropped. It is important to note that Driveguard tires, if they have not received permanent damage during long-term driving (more than 80 km without a break), can simply be repaired later. So it's not disposable.

How is driving without air?

"Here are the cars for you, we are going to puncture the tires in them, and you will go to the public roads." The words of one of the instructors sounded like a joke, but it was by no means a joke. Bridgestone is sure. 

There are four cars in the parking lot. Brand new tires on rims. And, as a representative unit, the gentlemen, armed with a large nail and a hammer, simultaneously approach them. As a sign, they drive nails into the tire wall and twist them around to cause as much damage as possible. In order for the tires to lose air faster, the valve is additionally opened slightly. Thus, we lost air in the left front wheel. 

Even though we're inside the closed Bridgestone research facility, we have to get outside. Just rode the roads of central Italy, which are not very sunny today. 

When I leave, I remember that the tire is flat. The car pulls very slightly to the left, but otherwise I could forget about the damage. In fact, the longer I drive, the more I forget about it. Acceleration, driving and braking stability is very good. Driving comfort is not much different from the original state. We feel more resistance when turning than when turning left. The longer we drive, i.e. the higher the tire temperature, the louder the noise coming from the area of ​​the damaged tire. After the end of the test drive, the punctured Driveguard is noticeably warmer than the “healthy” one. This is where the details end.

Driver vs. standard tire

At the presentation, we also had the opportunity to directly compare the Driveguard tire with the standard tire used by the Turanza T001. Driveguard has a lot in common with it - the tread is almost identical, only with a few notches. 

We did not have any equipment with us, so the feeling is very subjective. In my opinion, the summer Driveguard buzzes like winter tires, while the Turanza is much quieter. Other journalists have different impressions - some say that the noise is the same, while others say that the Turanza is louder. Bridgestone himself talks about the difference between these tires at the level of 5%, which is probably why such extreme opinions are expressed.

Despite the extra wall reinforcement, the Driveguard is a fairly flexible tyre. It does not greatly reduce comfort and springs well on bumps. Cornering grip is really good, as is braking on different types of asphalt. 

Bridgestone DriveGuard is marked C for rolling resistance and A for wet braking. These are excellent results, especially since the Japanese often underestimate their ratings. Classes are assigned individually by manufacturers - these tires are not tested by any external organizations. Competitors often take matters into their own hands and point out possible inaccuracies. One manufacturer was once too optimistic about his tires and was forced to withdraw the product from the market. Everyone is careful. 

Driveguard - what happened?

After the tests, it's time for a steep assessment. The properties of the tire are the most profitable, although they do not differ from competitors. Most run-flat tires allow you to cover the same distance at the same speed. We could go even faster for a shorter distance, but this is a temptation of fate. 

So what makes Driveguard different? First, there are many sizes. These tires are suitable for most vehicles, regardless of make and model. Patented wall cutouts also allow for some degree of forward movement, reducing overheating of the tire. Wet braking class A and rolling resistance C show that, despite the special design, Bridgestone tires behave like normal tires of good quality. 

Bridgestone DriveGuard We will buy for PLN 290 each for size 185/60 R15. The most expensive options are 225/40 R18 and 225/50 R17 at PLN 466 or 561 each. Prices are comparable to conventional tires. If we are in favor of somewhat cheaper solutions, the advantages of Driveguard are unlikely to attract us. This is a tire for those who adhere to the principle of "forewarned - always insured." For those who do not want to rely on their fate with unforeseen stops along the way.

It all sounds like a real hit, but do any of us really want to be safe this way?