Tyres on racing cars usually carry a lot of branding, but this becomes invisible at speed.
Today’s invention is yet another new publicity technique, which involves applying a brandname or url to the circumference of a tyre as usual (applied in fluorescent paint) and also equipping each hub with a non-rotating, stroboscopic light.
This takes account of precise wheel rotation speed and is timed to flash each time the branding is readably oriented. This gives the impression that the car is travelling on tyres which are still and which each bear a stable, clear message.
Each wheel might carry a different one and thus advertise something other than tyres.
Such technology already exists for bicycle wheels (http://www.ladyada.net/make/spokepov/). I couldn’t see it being used in the Tour de France though…
Wow, this is very cool. Thanks for the information. At 200mph, though, you’d need to be illuminating paint, rather than spinning lights, I reckon.
Looks like it’s now out there…cheap, nasty and out there.
http://www.core77.com/blog/object_culture/led_wheels_is_it_possible_to_harness_this_awful_design_trend_for_good_16398.asp