137 Years Ago, John Boyd Dunlop Invented the Tire
- Published on 07/12/2025 10:11
On December 7, 1888, Scottish inventor John Boyd Dunlop had the brilliant idea of trapping air in a tire.
On that day, John Boyd Dunlop, a veterinarian and Scottish inventor, forever changed the comfort of travel by patenting the air-filled tire. Inspired by his son’s uncomfortable rides on his tricycle, he created a rubber tube filled with air, capable of absorbing shocks and making travel safer and more pleasant.
A Simple Revolution
While a previous inventor, Robert William Thomson, had already envisioned an inflatable tire in 1846, the idea had been forgotten. Dunlop arrived just in time: the bicycle was becoming popular, and motorcycles and automobiles were emerging. His innovation is simple but revolutionary. In 1890, a factory was established to commercially produce these tires, which quickly spread to bicycles, motorcycles, and automobiles.
Dunlop’s influence is still felt today: every modern vehicle runs on tires whose principle remains the one he envisioned. His invention not only improved comfort and safety but also paved the way for the modern tire industry.
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On this December 7, remembering John Boyd Dunlop is to celebrate the inventor whose simple rubber tube transformed the world of mobility.
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This page is translated from the original post "Il y a 137 ans, John Boyd Dunlop inventait le pneu" in French.
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