Goodyear News
Goodyear claims another first in its long history of more than 100 years of innovation
Geneva, Switzerland, March 1, 2005 - Goodyear trumpets another first for the company that has been at the forefront of tyre innovation for over 100 years, from the first detachable tyre in 1904 and the first tyre on the moon in 1971 to RunOnFlat in 2005. RunOnFlat is the latest in a long line of pioneering innovations and its roll out into the market provides drivers with a product that will deliver additional consumer benefits beyond tyre reliability.
Seizing the initiative
Since the founding of The Goodyear Tyre & Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio, USA, in 1898, the company has distinguished itself through the decades by seizing the initiative in research and development. The seeds of Goodyear's success in innovation were sown as early as 1904 with the design of the first detachable tyre. This led to Ford's decision in 1908 to equip the first mass produced car, the legendary Model T, with Goodyear tyres. 1934 saw the launch of the most innovative development in tyre safety technology of the decade. Named the LifeGuard tyre, it relied on a secondary inner tube to provide enough cushioning to maintain steering stability until the driver could safely pull the car over to the shoulder. Back down to earth Goodyear tyres were also fitted on Craig Breedlove's Spirit of America when he became the first man to top the 600 mph land speed record, in 1964 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA. In 1971 Goodyear put the first tire on the moon by equipping the Apollo 14 Modular Equipment Transporter or moon buggy with specially designed tyres. In 1985 Goodyear supplies the first radial tyres for commercial aircraft. In 1992 Goodyear introduced the Aquatred tyre which offered a revolutionary design which delivered high performance traction in both wet and dry conditions. Tyre traction on wet road surfaces was increased up to 20 percent, reducing the risk of aquaplaning and improving driver safety. In 1997, at the higher end of tyre performance and handling, Goodyear proclaimed its dominance in the racing world by achieving its 350th Formula 1 Grand Prix racing victory. Goodyear pioneered the world's first commercial runflat tyre back in 1992 with its EMT, Extended Mobility Technology. The Goodyear runflat tyre was the first to achieve commercial viability. Innovation is at the heart of the company and the launch in 2005 of RunOnFlat - the technology that keeps tyres rolling on - will not only bring peace of mind to drivers everywhere but will do so with no compromise on performance, comfort and safety in everyday driving conditions. For further information please contact the Goodyear European press office by telephone on +32 2 240 9774 or by e-mail at press@runonflat.com. Should you wish to contact your local Goodyear office, please refer to the list of contact details included in your press pack CD-ROM.