Challenge
As part of an ongoing effort to connect Michelin's rich, but disparate two-brand heritage (tourism and mobility), the Global Design Group was tasked with defining a series of concept stories about a world where many of our conveniences are gone, and new technologies help us see differently.
Goal
We set out to define the Future of Mobility as it relates to community, leisure, and the environment. This included concepts that considered alternatives to the pneumatic rubber tire (the main component is sourced from a tree), ways to create customized and flexible transportation (to unlock anywhere-anytime travel), and even ownership programs and SaaS models.
Solution
One concept named the Vision Tire, featured in the Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial Exhibit at Smithsonian Museum, was part movie and part product, showing a world where travel can be on-demand thanks to 3D printing, Tuning, and connected intelligence systems. This concept was futuristic, but has led to several real-world innovations in the Michelin portfolio, including developments in the airless Tweel tire program, and alternative material efforts.
