Mercedes invents water-cooled tyres

Mercedes-Benz is planning a radical new way of controlling tyre temperatures, and therefore grip levels, using a novel water cooling and heating system that sprays water at high-pressures directly onto the tyre.

The system's patent, leaked online by car blog autoguide.com, was submitted recently to the UK's patent office, following concerns by the car-maker that inappropriate tyre temperatures produce significantly less grip and/or more wear than rubber running at optimum temperature.

According to the documents that accompanied the images, Mercedes-Benz says that temperature sensors within each tyre would trigger the system into action.

In cold conditions, heat soak from the engine would warm an under-bonnet water reservoir that would then inject water at high pressure onto the tyres, helpping them produce more grip in sub-zero temperatures.

In warm climates, the reverse happens: the water sprayed on the tyres cools the rubber, bringing it back into the optimum temperature band where they produce the maximum amount of grip.

The system is also claimed to reduce wear and the risk of a blow-out or failure of the tyre.

Instead of filling up the water bottle, Mercedes-Benz says its new tyre temperature control tech will recover water from rain, melting snow and car washes.

It's not known if Mercedes-Benz is considering the tech for a commercial application or for its high-performance AMG division.