Patent ID: 7066226

Claim:
A system for reducing rolling resistance comprising: a low fuel consumption vehicle tire comprising a tread having adjacent tread portions and voids contained within a crown area of the tire wherein at least one tread portion is selectively moveable with respect to the remainder of the tread in order to come in contact with or withdraw from contact with ground; a pressure/vacuum source in communication with the voids for increasing or decreasing the volume of the voids; tire control system comprising means for controlling the pressure/vacuum source to control the amount of pressure supplied to the voids such that when the pressure in the voids is increased, the volume of the voids increases and the at least one movable tread portion extends and comes into contact with the ground and when the pressure in the voids is decreased, the volume of the voids is decreased and the at least one moveable tread portion retracts and withdraws from contact with the ground; and sensors for detecting acceleration forces wherein when minimal acceleration forces are detected by the sensors, the tire control system lowers pressure in the voids to lower the moveable tread portion such that the tire has a smaller ground contact area and so that the tire has lower rolling resistance.