Breakdown history

Breakdowns have been a frustrating but inevitable part of driving since cars first took to the road. A century ago, tire trouble was a common issue that drivers often had to fix themselves. But as technology has improved, tires have become more robust, making driving safer and more enjoyable. In the near future, innovation could improve things further, potentially even preventing issues before they happen. 

It doesn’t matter where, when or how – a breakdown is never good news. Today, though, a recovery service or garage is rarely far away to help. But this hasn’t always been the case. In the early days of motoring, drivers often had to rely on their own mechanical skills to get back on the road. If that didn’t work, they could flag down another motorist or, if they were lucky, get help from a local garage. With no tow trucks, recovery could literally be reliant on horsepower.  

Punctures were one of the most common forms of breakdown. Road surfaces were often bad and tires nowhere near as robust as they are now. The ability to fix a flat was almost a prerequisite for early 20^th-century drivers. And it needn’t take much: a hole less than 5mm in diameter could easily lead to rapid loss of tire pressure.

For more than a century, Continental has dedicated itself to making driving safer, easier and more enjoyable. After all, we’re not just a tire manufacturer – we’re a mobility service provider. During motoring’s early decades, we provided our customers with valuable puncture repair materials and instructive literature on how best to maintain their tires. Continental factories and workshops would also repair drivers’ tires whenever they suffered a breakdown. Our goal was to make motoring as accessible as possible.

The next generation of tire sensors will do much more than monitor pressure. Continental is currently working on systems that will also register abnormal temperatures, detect changes in tread depth and even repair themselves as you drive.

Continental C.A.R.E. stands for Connected, Autonomous, Reliable and Electrified. Sensors wirelessly communicate vital information on each tire to the car’s main operating system and its driver. Integrated centrifugal pumps automatically add air if required, optimizing the pressure for each driving situation and delivering vital top-ups if air is lost.

Ultimately, increasingly intelligent tire sensors bring a range of benefits, including reduced repair and maintenance costs, maximum fuel efficiency and a safer, more comfortable ride. They might not make breakdowns a thing of the past just yet, but it’s a vital step in the right direction.