Technology Improves Tires

As tires start to wear, their performance declines. A new technology from
Bridgestone/Firestone called Uni-Taq helps maintain wet braking and wet handling as tires
wear. In a wet-surface braking test at 50 miles per hour, a vehicle equipped with worn
tires (50 percent of the tread remaining) that contain Uni-Taq technology stopped 14 feet
shorter than the same vehicle fitted with worn tires that did not have Uni-Taq.
Bridgestone/ Firestone engineers learned that one of the results of tire wear is rubber
hardening, which can impact worn-tire performance in some situations. They developed a new
type of rubber compound called Extended Performance Compound that reduces rubber hardening
that can result from the heat of friction caused by everyday driving. Engineers also
developed a new tread design called Dual Layer Tread that exposes high-grip rubber as wear
progresses. A tire with Dual Layer Tread contains two layers with different kinds of rubber
in each tread. A higher grip rubber, employed for the base layer under the cap, is exposed
as the tire wears. This minimizes the effect of wear on tire performance and helps maintain
consistent handling. Uni-Taq is now used in three tire lines that fit a wide range of
automobiles, pickups and sport-utility vehicles. The Bridgestone Turanza Revo touring tire
and the Bridgestone Dueler H/L and Dueler H/P light-truck tires are available at
Bridgestone/Firestone retailers nationwide. To find the nearest dealer, call (800)
807-9555.