Runflat tyres are becoming a common accessory on new vehicles. This fact sheet seeks to explain how they work, their benefits, and things you need to consider if you have a vehicle with runflat tyres.

In conventional tyres, the pressurised air contained within the tyre supports the weight of the car. However, recently tyres have been developed which are able to support the weight of the car by themselves, for a short period of time. These are known as runflat tyres.

Runflat tyres have been developed in order to minimise the risks associated with a tyre puncture. A puncture can lead to the driver losing control of the vehicle due to the deflated tyre’s loss of shape and structure.

In everyday operating conditions, runflat tyres work like conventional tyres. They still contain air; to reduce the load that the runflat system has to bear, to spread the weight of the vehicle evenly on the road surface, and to maximise the contact patch between the car and the road.

The advantage with runflat tyres is that they can operate without air in them, for a relatively short distance and low speeds, as their basic shape is kept by rigid components. This rigidity helps a driver maintain control of the vehicle if the tyre loses pressure, and removes the need to change a tyre immediately.