BMW's New Tire Kit Inflates Your Flat Tire While You Drive

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      BMW has quietly introduced an intriguing piece of equipment that could be extremely useful when dealing with a flat tire. It's an inflator that you can easily take out of your trunk, attach magnetically to your wheel, and drive away. With this device, it doesn't matter whether you're skilled at changing a tire, and you won’t waste time trying to plug or inflate a punctured tire in a tricky situation. The inflator essentially does the bulk of the work for you.

      This device is called the Seal & Drive Tire Kit, and it seems almost too good to believe. To use it, simply remove the valve stem cap from the tire, connect the kit's hose, and secure its five prongs to the wheel's five lug holes. It will hold itself in position magnetically and mechanically. Once you press the power button, the kit begins inflating the tire with air and sealant to fill the puncture. When the tire reaches at least 20 psi, you can drive off with the kit still attached to the wheel. It will continue to inflate the tire while you drive, ensuring the pressure doesn’t drop to a dangerous level.

      You cannot exceed 50 mph while the inflator is attached, and you shouldn't travel more than 120 miles—similar to a space-saver spare tire or a donut. Regardless, this should be sufficient to get you home or to the nearest service center for proper tire repair. I assume driving faster than 50 mph with the added weight on the wheel could lead to some imbalance, which justifies the speed limit.

      Of course, this won't be effective for a complete tire blowout or severe damage; however, it should work well for a minor puncture like a nail. This is often enough to get most people back on the road in an emergency and is more convenient than changing or plugging a tire on the roadside.

      The Seal & Drive Tire Kit will be included as standard equipment on all new 5 Series models starting with the March production. BMW has informed The Drive that the kit will also be available for other models, but there is no specific timeline for when or which models will feature it.

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