With future automobiles leaning toward autonomy and digital connectivity, the tires that carry those vehicles also are expected to upgrade their level of intelligence and electronics. However, the nuts and bolts of tires – their chemical and physical makeup – will also likely evolve via new materials and compositions. Materials science is an area of tire development where the industry has shown incredible ingenuity and perseverance in recent years. While petroleum, steel and various fibers will continue to be used in the composition of tires, many alternatives – soybeans, dandelions, tomatoes, moss and much more – are being studied and used in potential future products. For tire engineers, it’s a…