page_title: Tire
section_title: Light–medium duty
hierarchical_section_title: Tire / Applications / Automotive / Light–medium duty
caption_attribution_description: English: Studless tire (スタッドレス・タイヤ) 日本語: スタッドレス・タイヤ
context_page_description: A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped component that surrounds a wheel's rim to transfer a vehicle's load from the axle through the wheel to the ground and to provide traction on the surface over which the wheel travels. Most tires, such as those for automobiles and bicycles, are pneumatically inflated structures, which also provide a flexible cushion that absorbs shock as the tire rolls over rough features on the surface. Tires provide a footprint, called a contact patch, that is designed to match the weight of the vehicle with the bearing strength of the surface that it rolls over by providing a bearing pressure that will not deform the surface excessively.
  The materials of modern pneumatic tires are synthetic rubber, natural rubber, fabric and wire, along with carbon black and other chemical compounds. They consist of a tread and a body. The tread provides traction while the body provides containment for a quantity of compressed air. Before rubber was developed, the first versions of tires were simply bands of metal fitted around wooden wheels to prevent wear and tear. Early rubber tires were solid.
context_section_description: Light-duty tires for passenger vehicles carry loads in the range of 550 to 1,100 pounds (250 to 500 kg) on the drive wheel.  Light-to-medium duty trucks and vans carry loads in the range of 1,100 to 3,300 pounds (500 to 1,500 kg) on the drive wheel. They are differentiated by speed rating for different vehicles, including (starting from the lowest speed to the highest): winter tires, light truck tires, entry-level car tires, sedans and vans,  sport sedans, and high-performance cars. Apart from road tires, there are special categories:
  Snow tires are designed for use on snow and ice. They have a tread design with larger gaps than those on summer tires, increasing traction on snow and ice. Such tires that have passed a specific winter traction performance test are entitled to display a "Three-Peak Mountain Snow Flake" symbol on their sidewalls. Tires designed for winter conditions are optimized to drive at temperatures below 7 °C (45 °F). Some snow tires have metal or ceramic studs that protrude from the tire to increase traction on hard-packed snow or ice. Studs abrade dry pavement, causing dust and creating wear in the wheel path. Regulations that require the use of snow tires or permit the use of studs vary by country in Asia and Europe, and by state or province in North America.
  All-season tires are typically rated for mud and snow (M+S). These tires have tread gaps that are smaller than snow tires and larger than conventional tires. They are quieter than snow tires on clear roads, but less capable on snow or ice.
  All-terrain tires are designed to have adequate traction off-road, yet have benign handling and noise characteristics for highway driving. Such tires are rated better on snow and rain than street tires and "good" on ice, rock and sand.
  Mud-terrain tires have a deeper, more open tread for good grip in mud, than all-terrain tires, but perform less well on pavement.
  High-performance tires are rated for speeds up to 168 miles per hour (270 km/h) and ultra-high-performance tires are rated for speeds up to 186 miles per hour (299 km/h), but have harsher ride characteristics and durability.
  Other types of light-duty automotive tires include run-flat tires and race car tires:
  Run-flat tires obviate the need for a spare tire, because they can be travelled on at a reduced speed in the event of a puncture, using a stiff sidewall to prevent damage to the tire rim. Vehicles without run-flat tires rely on a spare tire, which may be a compact tire, to replace a damaged tire.
  Race car tires come in three main categories, DOT (street-legal), slick, and rain. Race car tires are designed to maximize cornering and acceleration friction at the expense of longevity. Racing slicks have no tread to maximize contact with the pavement and rain tires have channels to eject water to avoid hydroplaning.
caption: A winter tire without studs, showing tread pattern designed to compact snow in the gaps.[20]
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