Vehicles can now sport new tires made from soybean oil, thanks to a six-year long partnership.
The U.S. Soybean Board and Goodyear Tire unveiled the Assurance Weather Ready tire Tuesday at the Farm Progress Show, in Decatur, Illinois. Goodyear Tire Lead Engineer Robert Woloszynek said the tire, containing soybean oil, is the result of many years? worth of research.
?Our research determined that soybean oil improves the pliability of the rubber compound at low temperatures,? Woloszynek said. ?Basically, we?re able to improve traction under all weather conditions, and soybean oil plays a role in that.?
U.S. Soybean Board Chair John Motter emphasized the partnership?s role in improving tire performance.
?About six years ago, we started improving the rubber that?s used in tires (by) replacing the petroleum product with a soy oil to make a tire with a softer rubber that (will then have a) better grip on the road. What they?re calling the Assurance Weather Ready tire has a better performance in both warm and cold weather,? Motter said.
Motter said the U.S. Soybean Board works with different companies, in different disciplines.
?We?ve worked with John Deere and put resin into components of a combine and we?ve put soybean into the foam of the seats of a Ford car,? Motter said. ?This is just another step down that path. We?re replacing a non-renewable fuel with a renewable fuel.?
Assurance Weather Ready tires can be purchased through goodyear.com and Goodyear retailers.
