Industry News
Putting on snow chains can be one of the worst parts of driving during the winter. Trying to wrap the cold metal chains around the tire while your fingers go numb can ruin the whole mood during a winter road trip. Luckily South Korean car manufacturers Kia and Hyundai unveiled a new concept that could potentially get rid of this problem.
Instead of putting snow chains on manually, the chains can be deployed by a simple push of a button. This works by integrating metal components that work like snow chains inside the tire. These brace-like components move out of the tire once there’s a need for chains. The braces sit in channels in the outside of the tires. This could be especially useful when drivers face sudden changes in weather.
The snow chains work by using “shape memory alloys.” These are mixtures of metals (usually copper, aluminum, and nickel) that take on a certain form once they are heated. The alloys then turn back into their original shape once the temperature decreases.
The alloys straighten out from a J-like shape and push the metal braces once rods near the alloys are heated by an electric current. When snow chains are no longer necessary, the electric current turns off and the alloys move back into their original L shape. This causes the braces to contract back into the channels of the tire.
This is still a concept and will likely take years to hit the market. The patent for the product is still pending and Hyundai and Kia will have to conduct further tests before the product is ready to hit mass production. However, this is also supposed to showcase Hyundai and Kia’s eagerness for innovation.
Products with shape memory alloys are usually unlikely to be commercially successful because of the limited applications and the high energy efficiency. The product could potentially be limited by its location near the brakes. The snow chains could deploy in an unwanted moment if the brakes overheat. This is because most shape memory alloys are heat-reactive. One user on YouTube also criticized that the Snowchains could deploy if the driver hits a pothole at high speeds.
Still, this invention could make driving during the winter safer, especially during rapid changes in weather. The Hyundai Motor Group published a video that further showcases the product on their YouTube channel, available below.
